AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Chancellor, Dominion University, Ibadan, Bishop Taiwo Victor Adelakun, has advised the authorities to ensure fairness in the treatment meted to both the private and public universities in a bid to promote excellence in tertiary education system in Nigeria.
The frontline clergyman and founder of the faith-based private university spoke on Tuesday at the institution’s campus located at the Wonder City, Kilometer 24, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway during the Press Conference that heralds its second graduation ceremony holding between October 15 and 20.
Bishop Adelakun stated that “The Federal Government should create a level playing ground for all universities to thrive, whether public or private. Government policies should be done in such a way to encourage private institutions. Take for instance the recent issue of age limit which is now a subject of litigation where you have 100 people applying for private universities and 50 of them, 15 (years old) and above, applying. You have already lost out. But, where you have 10,000 applying for public universities and maybe 1,000 of them are not qualified by reason of age, that has been used to disqualify those who are potential students of private universities.
“I would want a situation where that policy is reversed. Even the admission policy by JAMB has to be reviewed. There are certain restrictions they give to private universities which are not applicable to public universities.
“They should create a level playing ground for all universities to thrive, whether private or public. They should not create a dichotomy when it comes to issues of admission. For instance, we have people who took Dominion University as their first choice but we cannot contact them because the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board would not give us their details. In the case of Obafemi Awolowo University for instance, if they don’t give them the details, they have more than enough. But in our own case, we don’t have enough yet we are denied the access to those who took our university as first choice. They should create a level playing ground, whether public or private.”
According to Professor Abel Olorunnisola, Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Dominion University Ibadan awarded scholarship to 28 of the graduating students. Of this number, 10 made First Class while the remaining 18 made Second Class Upper. “Ten of the students who could not have been able to go to university made First Class. We also have a flexible payment plan here; you don’t have to pay once and you don’t have to pay twice, you don’t even have to pay thrice. If you take a survey of the universities around here, the fees we charge here are still among the lowest, yet, the quality is not low. Hundred per cent of our staff is on full time, so the standard is very high,” he said.
While shedding light on the experience since it was founded in 2019, the VC said that “The students population has grown significantly in the last five years from 216 at the beginning (2019/2020 academic session), to 717 by the end of the 2023/2024 academic session, 49.7per cent of whom are females. This represents an increase of 232per cent over a period of five years. A total of 1,086 students (made up of 941 matriculated students and 145 foundation students) were admitted by the University between 2019 and 2024.
“Dominion University took off with academic programmes in the Faculty of Computing and Applied Sciences, and Faculty of Arts, Social and Management Sciences. I am pleased to inform you that Biotechnology, Industrial Relations and Personnel Management and Public Health were added to our offerings in the 2023/2024 academic session.
“Also, in September 2024, the National Universities Commission approved the establishment of the third faculty- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences – for the university with effect from the 2024/2025 academic session. The faculty, made up of the Departments of Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science and Public Health, has already taken off.
“Dominion University is student and staff- friendly and pays adequate attention to their welfare. We are also committed to provision of excellent security and safety services. The University Management puts premium on campus security. Our security architecture is made up of multiple layers. We take pro-active steps regarding general security and safety of students, staff and all persons on campus. We continue to improve on our strategies for crime prevention and control, as well as curtailment of fire outbreaks on campus.”
As part of extra curricular activities, he said, “Our students participated in, and won several inter-hall and inter-university games competitions in football, basketball, volley ball, athletics and indoor games within the last one year.
“May 16, 2024, our students beat the Dominican University, Ibadan teams in friendly matches in football and basketball. On June 22, 2024, an inter-hall indoor games competition was held during which students competed in scrabble, monopoly and chess.”
Recalling that the university turned out a total of 96 graduates at the maiden convocation ceremony in 2023, the VC said, “The university is presenting a total of 148 students for graduation. Of this number, six students (one from Faculty of Arts, Social and Management Sciences; and five from the Faculty of Computing and Applied Sciences) completed their studies at the end of the session in April 2024. Out of the remaining 142 graduating students, 84 came from the Faculty of Arts, Social and Management Sciences; while 58 from the Faculty of Computing and Applied Sciences) completed their studies
“Sixty-six (44.6per cent) of the graduating students are male while 82 (55.4per cent) are female. A total of 35 students (23.6per cent) graduated in the First Class division, 71 (48.0per cent) in the Second Class upper division, 39 (26.4per cent) in the Second Class lower division and three (2.0per cent) in the Third Class division.”
He added, “Eighteen (51.4per cent) of the 35 First Class graduands are from the Faculty of Arts, Social and Management Sciences, while 17 (48.6per cent) graduated from the Faculty of Computing and Applied Sciences. Also, 19 (54.3per cent) of the 35 First Class graduands are females. The overall best graduating student, Favour Chizaram Anyinka, graduated with a perfect CGPA of 5.0/5.0 in Biochemistry.”
Activities lined up for the second Convocation ceremony includes the Press Conference held on Tuesday, Convocation Dinner, Thursday; while Convocation Lecture and Novelty Match would hold on Friday. On Saturday, the Award of Degrees and Prizes would hold while on Sunday, the Convocation Thanksgiving Service would hold at Wonder Hall, Wonder City, Lagos- Ibadan Expressway, Oyo State.
The Convocation lecture would be delivered by Dr Makanjuola Ojewunmi, Managing Partner, Makanjuola Ojewumi and Co, and Chairman, Jericho Mall, Ibadan on Friday, October 19, while the award of first degrees and prizes would be held on Saturday, October 19. A thanksgiving service would hold on Sunday, October 20.
In attendance at the press conference are the wife of the Chancellor, Mrs Dolapo Adelakun; members of the Board of Trustees, the Pro-Chancellor, members of the Governing Council and Principal Officers of the university.
