By Abdullahi Yusuf
No fewer than 180 graduating students of the Bayero University,Kano(BUK) will receive first class degrees at the 38th Convocation of the institution.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Sagir Abbas, disclosed this during a pre-convocation media briefing on Monday.
Prof. Abbas said 317 graduates would receive PhD and 3,770 would receive Masters Degrees at the convocation.
He also disclosed that Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is to deliver the convocation lecture titled, “Role of Private Sector in building a sustainable knowledge economy in Nigeria.”
He said this year the institution would honour the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin and the President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adeshina, with Honorary Doctorate degrees.
According to him, “this year, we have a total of 11,284 students that are going to graduate and be given their degrees.
“In this convocation, we have a total of 180 with first class degrees, 317 graduates will receive PhD and 3,770 will receive Masters degree in this convocation.
“Alhaji Aliko Dangote is to deliver convocation lecture on Friday, 1st March. The convocation lecture is titled, “Role of Private Sector in building a sustainable knowledge economy in Nigeria”.
“The reason why we picked him (Dangote) is because we feel the purpose and essence of establishing a university is to serve the communities.
“And we feel, there should be better and greater role between the university and the private sector. When he comes, he is going to give us talks on this. So we feel this will be the beginning of bridging the gap between the university and the private sector,” the Vice Chancellor said.