Ibadan, Nigeria: The graduation ceremonies of the fifth cohort of Master students and third batch of PhD scholars of the Pan African University Institute for Life and Earth Sciences including Health and Agriculture (PAULESI) were held on 15 and 18 November 2019, respectively. This ceremony was coupled with the Convocation Ceremony of the University of Ibadan, host University.

The ceremonies were graced by several high ranking officials including, the Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, H.E. Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor, the Sultan of Sokoto and Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Alhadji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, The President of the PAU Council, Prof. Pierre Dominique Nzinzi, the Interim Deputy Rector of the Pan African University, Prof. Kassa Belay, Vice Chancellors of the University of Ibadan, the Registrar, Deans, administrative and local authorities, PAU staff, former graduates, parents and the stars of the days: graduands.

Both Graduation ceremonies started with the academic procession followed by the singing of anthems (the African Union, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the University of Ibadan and constitution of the congregation by the Chancellor. Thereafter, a series of graduation addresses were delivered starting with that of the Chancellor of the University of Ibadan.

Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor, HRST Commissioner delivered, in a motivational and solemn tone, key remarks to the audience.
To the graduating Masters students, she said they are “beacons of hope, our walking stick in our old age”. She congratulated them as well as their parents, the African Union Member States, the Host University, officials and staff of PAULESI and lecturers. She also presented a brief history on the establishment of the Pan African University, recalling AU’s Agenda 2063 and vision.
She went on and presented graduation statistics which are as follows: Health Sciences in Reproductive Health : 11 Students, Health Sciences in Reproductive Biology : 4 Students, Breeding : 9 Students, Mineral Exploration Geosciences : 10 Students, Petroleum Geoscience : 7 Students, Environmental Managements : 10 Students, Avian Medicine : 7 Students, Veterinary Vaccine Production and Quality Control : 9 Students, Medicinal Plant Research and Drug Development : 7 Students, sport Management : 7 Students.
These 81 graduands come from 19 African countries including (Nigeria, the Gambia, Togo, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Zimbabwe, Mali, Djibouti, Ghana, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, Liberia, Benin, Cameroon, Somalia, Rwanda, and Ethiopia).
She ended her speech by emphasizing the excellent integration role that PAU has been playing and its various positive aspects in students’ life, and concluded in these terms: “as African youth, go inspire to aspire”.
For the PhD graduation ceremony, HRST Commissioner underscored that this graduation was going a step further because of the new cohort of PhD students graduating in the fields of Geosciences, environmental management, reproductive health and for the first time in plant breeding. She further underlined the AU policy frameworks in terms of Education such as STISA2024, as well as PAU key objectives before summarizing the statistics of the graduating class which are:
Reproductive Health Science : 1 Student, Mineral Exploration Geosciences : 2 Students, Petroleum Geoscience : 1 Student, Environmental Management : 5 Students, Plant Breeding : 1 Student.
Telling the graduands that they are the reason why PAU was created, she advised them to be humble in those terms: “humility is key to your growth and success”.
During admissions to Degrees and the award of Diplomas, The Director of PAULESI rose and presented the graduands to the Chancellor who admitted them all. Thereafter, Students were called by their names and moved in the single line towards the stage and shook hands with the Chancellor, Vice-chancellor and the Commissioner.
The actual degrees were handed over to the graduates by the President of the PAU Council, the Interim Deputy Rector and the Director of the Institute, during the farewell dinner that took place on 18 November 2019.
For additional information, please contact:
Chancelle Bilampassi Moutsatsi E-mail: BilampassiC@africa-union.org

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