The Director, the Pan African University Institute for Life and Earth Sciences, Prof. Esther Akinlabi, has charged the 61 graduating students of the institute to give back to Africa by making their countries great.
Prof. Akinlabi spoke on Wednesday during the virtual convocation ceremony held at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Expressing joy on the successful completion of their Masters and PhD programme, the Director of PAULESI urged them to be change agents and trailblazers.
She said, “It is an honor for me to address this congregation marking the graduation of the 6th cohort MSc. of scholars of the Pan African University Institute for Life and Earth Sciences (including Health and Agriculture, PAULESI).
“Today’s graduation ceremony is a special one as the graduands are able to complete their studies in various fields against all odds and despite the pandemic. Today is the day of your celebration, the day of your decoration. Graduations are special, and a moment to reflect and celebrate one’s academic achievements.
“It is the beginning of a new chapter in life, characterized by possibilities and challenges. It is, therefore, a new beginning where your success depends on the choices you make. As often said, the beginning of a journey is not as important as the end; I will like to enjoin you to take pride in how far you have come and have faith in how far you can go in the journey ahead.
“The Pan African University as a Continental initiative of the African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is inspired and driven by major policy frameworks of the AUC, including the vision of African Union, the second decade of education, and the consolidated plan of action for science and technology. Within the same policy frameworks, The PAU is embedded as a major instrument for the second decade for Africa, which will give way to the African Continental Education Strategy; as well as the African Common Position on post Sustainable Development Goals.
“The aim of Pan African University is to develop institutions of excellence in science, technology, innovation, social sciences and governance, which would constitute the bedrock for an Africa pool of higher education and research. While thanking the African Union Commission for providing your scholarship awards, it is my belief that you found your study duration at PAULESI worthwhile.”
She put the total number of graduating students from the 10 programmes offered at PAULESI at 61. This comprise 49 Master’s and 12 PhD candidates. Of the 49 Master’s students, there are seven students from Environmental Management, four each from the Geosciences programmes, five from the Reproductive Health, three from the Reproductive Biology, three from Medicinal Plant Research and Drug Development, five from Plant Breeding, six from Sport Management and Policy Development and 10 from Veterinary Medicine programmes.
Of the 12 Doctor of Philosophy candidates, three students are from Environmental Management, three from Plant Breeding, one from Reproductive Biology, and five from Geosciences programme.
Prof. Akinlabi said, “A total of 22 students hail from the host country, Nigeria, five from Ghana; four each from Benin, Ethiopia and Sudan; three each from Rwanda, Somalia and Kenya; two each from Malawi, Uganda, and Eritrea; and one each from Chad, Angola, Burundi, Togo, Egypt, The Gambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Across the 61 graduating students, there are 25 females and 36 males, of which four females of the 25 are graduating with their PhD qualifications and nine males from the PhD programs.
“Let me at this juncture appreciate the Acting Vice-Chancellor and the principal officers of our host institution – UI, the Programme Coordinators, all academics and support staff of PAULESI for their support and mentorship roles in so many ways.
“I will like to seize this opportunity to congratulate all the graduands, as well as parents and guardians on this achievement. My admonition to you is that you should be change agents and trailblazers as you proceed on the next phase of your career. Always remember the PAULESI slogan, “Nurturing Quality, Exemplifying Excellence.
“We enjoin you as alumni of PAULESI to plow back to the institute in any way that you deem necessary and to continue to make PAULESI great. I also enjoin you to make your countries great. As Henry David Thorean said, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”
The acting Vice-Chancellor of UI, Prof. Babatunde Ekanola, urged the graduands to be focused as they start a new phase of life, saying it is only then that the essence of their educational voyage would be realized.
