Out of 348 alumni, Wesley University Ondo, Ondo State, produced 38 first-class graduates for its 11th and 12th convocation ceremonies.
A breakdown of the convocation statistics reveals that, for their first degree, 159 students received second class higher, 124 received second class lower, 12 received third class, and 13 received pass.
The religiously affiliated university also bestowed honorary doctorates and fellows upon notable individuals: Benue State Deputy Governor, Dr. Samuel Ode; Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; His Royal Highness, Dr. John Onuminya Eimonye; Och'Otukpo Odu; member of the House of Representatives, Abiola Peter Makinde; and Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Oliver Ali Aba.
Additional honorees include Mr. Bolanle Benjamin Leshi, Executive Chairman of the Leschman Foundation for Education; Chief Akinyemi Beckely, former member of the Ikeja Federal House of Representatives; Chief Elder Ita Etim Onakak, Vice President of the Global Hands Foundation; Elder Ita Ntekim, United Methodist Church, USA; Barr. Bassey Dan Abia, Federal Commissioner of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission; Chief Paul Harris Adekole Ogbole, Former Commissioner of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Special Advisor to Benue State Governor on Sports Development, Mrs. Elizabeth Idoko Okogun; Special Advisor to Benue State Deputy Governor on Women and Youth Development, Chief Sonni Ikwue Adapoyi; and General/Chief Executive Officer, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Abubakar Gambo Umar, are among the other honorees.
At the convocation lecture, entitled "Early Church fathers as panacea for sustainable development in Nigeria," Dr. John Ujo David, Registrar of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi (JOSTUM) Benue, bemoaned the gradual replacement of some faith-based universities in the nation by highly commercialized, expensive schools or miracle centers.
David emphasized that, in contrast to the service value that the country's founders placed on education, the value of education is progressively being diminished by commercialization.
The registrar reported that this development prevents children of church members from attending some of the universities established with their offerings and tithes.
"Unfortunately, the system has been corrupted, which is a disgrace, despite the church fathers' efforts for the creation of educational centers. What was to be a bastion of knowledge has turned into a breeding ground for conflicts over authority, animosity between groups, and personality issues. Today's university system, he continued, has tragically turned into a haven for cults, bandits, kidnapping, and violent lifestyles rather than being a catalyst for growth where education is essentially designed to increase people's brains.
Prof. Samuel Sunday Obeka, vice-chancellor of Wesley University Ondo, stated that the National Universities Commission has fully accredited each degree program the university offers.