The President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Samson Ayokunle, wants young graduates in Nigeria to change their thoughts and orientation towards the society, which he said had led to different ills.
Reverend Ayokunle made the observation in Iwo at the 11th convocation of Bowen University, in Osun State.
He asked the youths to stand firm for whatever was righteous.
The CAN President warned unemployed youths to jettison the idea of perceiving armed robbery and kidnapping as means of survival and rather be innovative, especially in this period of recession.
“Shun embezzlement, shun violence which some graduates are perpetrating in our society today. Do not join the gang of armed robbers or kidnappers in order to survive,” he cautioned.
He further told the youths to take a cue from the life of the Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, who has employed a number of people and has become a blessing to the whole world.
“You can make positive difference. Therefore, go out there and positively demonstrate that you are an elite group, a people to be respected anywhere, anytime,” he added.
The Chancellor of the University, Reverend Olimide Kehinde, enjoined graduates of the faith based institution to be different in terms of decorum, moderation, moral purity and excellence.
“Knowing full-well that many graduates today are not well versed in native intelligence. It becomes additional responsibility on us parents and guardians in the university setting to instill the consciousness that the products of faith based university must show difference in terms of decorum, moderation, moral purity and excellence,” he stressed.
First Set Of Medical Doctors
While congratulating students, parents and guardians on the occasion, Reverend Kehinde advocated commitment to keeping the vision and mission of the university as headed by the Nigeria Baptist Convention.
The Vice Chancellor of Bowen University, Iwo, Professor Matthews Ojo, said the university was producing its first set of newly qualified medical doctors.
The Vice Chancellor told the gathering that apart from the 23 medical doctors, the university also produced 63 first class among over 1,000 graduates who received their certificates during the ceremony.
He said that 23 medical doctors would be inducted, highlighting that the university was happy with the competition of the training of its pioneer medical students.
The VC said: “It is an improvement to what is obtained from the previous 59 and 49 for 2003 and 2005 respectively”.
Professor Ojo stated that the university had continued to make its impact felt positively within its host communities, saying it was collaborating with the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, to make the road linking Iwo with Osogbo motorable.
He said, “The university has partnered the Oluwo of Iwo in the areas of rehabilitating the bad roads on the Iwo, Ede and Osogbo axis so as to make it become motorable. We are also sponsoring the Iwo Day, the Olupona Day and others. We also sprouted culverts in some of the communities around us”.
The Vice Chancellor commended the Federal Government for the recent licenses given to 10 private universities in Nigeria, describing it as a measure towards creating more access to university education in the country.
He said the capacities of the institutions in existence could not cater for the demands of over one million admission seekers, emphasising it was a right step in the right direction.
