The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday, 21 November, 2024, urged the graduating class to continue to seek new knowledge, embrace the challenges ahead, and strive for excellence in every endeavour.
The President who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad made this statement at the 36th convocation ceremony of Yaba College of Technology held at Dr. Philip Adegbite Sport Complex in the Institution.
President Tinubu told the graduates that as they move forward into the next chapter of their lives, learning is a lifelong journey, therefore, they should continue to seek out new knowledge, embrace the challenges ahead, and strive for excellence in every endeavour.
The President stated further that, the world is full of opportunities, and the new graduates have been well prepared to explore and seize them.
“Let the education you have received here serve as a beacon, guiding you to make a positive impact,” he advised
The President noted that the students of Yaba College of Technology have distinguished themselves in various fields, earning accolades for their achievements in academics, sports, arts and community service among others.
Therefore, he urged the graduating class as they embarked on new journey to be courageous, stay true to their dreams and never stop believing in their abilities.
“Do not get involved in any activity that will tarnish your image, your family and that of Nigeria,” he said.
The President commended Yaba College of Technology for achieving significant milestones in the area of entrepreneurial development, which according to him, is playing a crucial role in Nigeria’s drive for job creation and economic growth.
“I encourage today’s graduates to build on this strong foundation and leverage your acquired skills for professional growth and societal impact,” Tinubu said.
In his welcome address, the Chairman Governing Council, Prof. Funso Isolaowa Afolabi, expressed gratitude to the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria and Minister of Education for gracing the event. He also expressed his heartfelt congratulations to the graduands, the ceremony marks a significant milestone in their academic journey.
The Chairman charged the graduands as their going into the world beyond Yaba College of Technology to remember that education is not a destination, but a lifelong journey.
Therefore, he advised them to embrace curiosity, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence. “You are the future leaders of Nigeria’s technological and socio-economic transformation, and we have every confidence that you will rise to the challenge of shaping the future of our nation,” he said.
Earlier, the Rector of the institution, Dr. Engr. Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul stated that, today is not just a day of celebration, it is a testament to hard work, resilience, and vision. Our graduands are the embodiment of this institution’s legacy, a legacy rooted in excellence, innovation and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. I have no doubt that you are ready to conquer the world driven by technology, innovation, and an insatiable hunger for progress as you are stepping out into the world that is rapidly changing.
The Rector reminded the graduands that success in the 21st century is not just about knowledge, it is about availability, adaptability, collaboration and vision. “Technology will involve, industries will transform , and the problems of today will give way to the challenges of tommorow, therefore he charged the graduands to be curios, bold and ethical.
The Rector emphasized that, the great college is 77 year. Therefore it become obvious to us that, the Responsibility we bear and we bear and to grapple with in an old instruction.
He further stated that, Yaba College of Technology, maintained and sustained her ranking as the best Polytechnics in the country for the 6th consecutive years.
A total of 8,139 graduands have been trained by the institution, out of these, 316 passed with Distinction; 2, 381 graduated in Upper Class while 3,939 students are graduating in Lower Credit and 1,503 are in Pass grade.
Award of fellowship of Yaba College of Technology were conferred on two notable individuals for their immense contributions to the institution and Nigeria at large, namely: the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.
Responding to the conferment as a Fellow of Yaba College of Technology, Senator Oluremi Tinubu expressed gratitude to the Governing Council of the institution for the honour bestowed on her, she added that she considers the award as a challenge that will continue to inspire her efforts to uplift others for the greater good and development of our nation.
“It is my firm belief that it is a collective responsibility of everyone to prepare the young ones for tomorrow. This is one of the reasons why, I initiated various charities over the years including, The New Era Foundation that birthed The Lagos State Spelling Bee Competition and produced the One day Governor event, The Musical Youth Fiesta Initiative that led to the Leadership Academy for Girls (a mentorship programme) among others,” the First Lady said.
The newly Fellow awardee of Yaba College of Technology, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in pursuant of her vision to promote education of students donated the sum of ₦50 million as an endowment fund for the overall female best student of Yaba College of Technology.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu also dedicated the award to every young girl who dares to dream.
