By Abiodun Nejo
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Saturday bagged Doctor of Public Administration (DPA), honoris causa at Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti with a call on Ekiti people to ensure that the July 14 gubernatorial election is conducted in an atmosphere of peace.
Other eminent Nigerians honoured with doctorate on the occasion of the 23rd convocation ceremonies of the institution are former WAEC Registrar, Chief Alexander Ajayi (DPA); Executive Chairman of Corporate Affairs Commission, Mr Abiodun Adedapo (Doctor of Finance); Executive Director of Skye Bank, Dr Olasehinde Olatunji (DPA); Mr Israel Ovirih (Doctor of Finance); and Dr Falil Ayo Abina (Doctor of Economics).
Forty nine students bagged First class among the 9796 first degree graduates while there were post graduate degrees were conferred on 384 others.
Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke on behalf of the honorees, assured that they would work assiduously to take the institution to higher levels in areas of positive development.
The monarch charged alumni of the university and other well-meaning Ekiti people and Nigerians to join hands to build the institution.
The Ooni said: “Please, the coming election should be done in peace. We do not want violence in Yorubaland again. We do not want chaos in Yorubaland again. We do not want anybody to turn us against one another. Let the people decide in an atmosphere of peace. Let everybody think of Ekiti and the progress of Ekiti”.
Visitor to the institution and governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, who said posterity would judge him as he had done his bit, said the need for sustenance of a good system prompted him to present his deputy, Professor Kolapo Olusola, as governorship candidate, as he canvassed support for him.
Fayose, who said the university needs support, appealed to the honorees, alumni and well meaning Nigerians to support the institution to realize its goal of producing top class graduates.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof Samuel Oye Bandele, congratulated the graduating students and charged them to “go forth in life to achieve your dreams, but don’t forget the reasons and the people who make the journey worth the trouble.
“Your degree is not just a piece of paper. It is the set of wings that will help you fly away and burst out the horizon into a new world called your life,” he admonished.
