Okonjo-Iweala, Fola Adeola, Adesina To Receive UNILAG Doctorate Degrees

The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, distinguished Nigerian businessman and investor, Mr Fola Adeola and the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Sahara Power Group, Engr. Kolawole Adesina, an alumnus of UNILAG, will be conferred with the prestigious honorary doctoral degree of Doctor of Science (D. Sc) next Thursday at the 55th convocation of the University of Lagos (UNILAG). The ceremony begins on Friday, January 10, 2025.

The university will honour 16,409 students with various degrees, 9,684 students to receive their first degrees and diplomas, and 6,659 to be awarded postgraduate degrees.

This was made known yesterday by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Folasade Tolulope Ogunsola, at a world press conference held at the prestigious institution’s Senate Chamber.

The Vice-Chancellor stated that the university is ready to welcome thousands of visitors and maintain a traffic flow during the three-day event, during which varying degrees will be conferred on deserving students and distinguished personalities.

In her address, she said, “We are set to host the 55th Convocation in our week-long celebrations and awards of First Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates, as well as Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters, Doctorate degrees and Honorary Awards.

“This year, we will be graduating 16,409 students, of which 9,684 will receive first degrees and diplomas, 6,659 will be awarded postgraduate degrees, and 66 will graduate from the UNILAG Business School. Our two overall best-graduating students are shared by two students from the faculty of Science, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, with a perfect score of 5.0 – Damilare Haroun Adebakin and Samuel Akinade Badekale.

“The best-graduating student from the humanities is Olamide Idris Emida from the Faculty of Management Sciences in the Department of Accounting with a CGPA of 4.95. The overall best Ph.D. The thesis award for this year goes to Adetoun Alaba Akitoye, who obtained her PhD in Chemistry, while the best PhD thesis (Humanities) is Eniola Niniola Ladipo.”

“We will be conferring Honorary degrees in recognition of three personalities, two men and a woman, who have shown Integrity, hard work and service to the nation.

“They are Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, GCON – The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the first woman and African leader. A distinguished economist, she is renowned for her integrity and significant economic reforms in Nigeria’s financial sector.

“Mr. Fola Adeola, OFR – A distinguished Nigerian businessman and investor, most known as a Co-Founder of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank Plc), is also the founder of FATE foundation, an NGO dedicated to supporting young Nigerian entrepreneurs through training, mentoring, loans, and consulting.

“Mr Kolawole Adesina, MFR, FNSE- is the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Sahara Power Group, a global energy and infrastructure conglomerate with operations in 42 countries. He is an alumnus of the University of Lagos.”