The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Prof Nnenna Oti, has disclosed that seventy-six graduands bagged first class honours degrees out of the three thousand, three hundred and sixty-six graduands for the 37th Convocation of the university, scheduled to hold on 6 December 2025.
She also announced that the university has conferred honorary doctorate degrees on Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group; Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and ex-governor of Benue State; and Mrs Ngozi Ekeoma, a lawyer.
Prof Oti, who made the announcement on Tuesday at a pre-convocation press conference, also said that the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, will deliver the convocation lecture.
She said: “I am pleased to announce that the Federal University of Technology Owerri, at this year’s convocation, will admit a total of 3,366 graduands, of which 76 have bagged first class honours degrees. I dare state that the Federal University of Technology Owerri under my watch has become a global brand, fully realising its manifest destiny as a leading light in technological education and training for national development through sustained academic growth. FUTO graduates were ranked second in the recent National Employability Index Assessment. We were ranked third in the Tertiary Education Trust Fund National Research Fund’s 2024 grant cycle. And, in 2024, FUTO was ranked 14th in Nigeria by the Times Higher Education World University Ranking Agency. 95 per cent of our courses are accredited by NUC, including all our professional courses.”
The university will confer honorary degrees on three eminent Nigerians for their contributions to the nation, namely: His Excellency Senator George Akume (Secretary to the Government of the Federation) D.Litt (Honoris Causa); Alhaji Aliko Dangote (President of the Dangote Group) D.MT (Honoris Causa); and Mrs Ngozi Ekeoma (D.MT) Honoris Causa. The Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, will deliver the 37th Convocation Lecture titled “Beyond Oil: Exploring Alternative Revenue Potentials for Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Nigeria.”
Prof Oti expressed profound gratitude to the Chairman of the 13th Governing Council, Senator Jack Tilley Gyado, and all council members for their support and commitment to making FUTO the university of first choice in the South East and beyond. She also thanked Governor Hope Uzodimma for his mentorship and unquantifiable support, which led to the presidential upgrade of the Federal Medical Centre Owerri to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, as well as the Honourable Minister of Education Dr Maruf Alausa, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof Abdullahi Yesufu Ridadu, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc Sonny T Echono, and other stakeholders for their contribution to enhancing quality service delivery in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
Credit: The Sun