I’m glad that the candles weren’t burnt in vain, says first class graduate

Halima Anate, a microbiology graduate of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara state, has expressed delight over making distinction.

Speaking with TheCable on her convocation day, Anate said she worked very hard to achieve the feat.

“I wish I could find a word that best describes how happy I to have made first class,” she said.

“I am delighted that all the night reading, the burning of candles, the starvation (i.e. having to spend so much on handouts), early morning lectures and fixed lectures, which I made sure I never missed, did not go in vain.

“My punctuality and tutorials really paid off. It’s true that success comes with hard work, dedication and prayers. Those were my key points.

“I say Alhamdulillah for making my family, friends and fiance proud.”

Taofeek Ibrahim, vice-chancellor of the university, disclosed that degrees and prizes were awarded to 924 students.

He said the institution was presenting a total of 874 graduates with first degree and 50 graduates with post graduate degrees.

“In the current session, we are happy to announce that we are presenting 874 graduates with first degree, this shows seven per cent increase over 2014/2015 session when a total of 817 students graduated,” he said.

“Alhamdulillah, for the first time in our history, 50 students from the post graduate school will be awarded with master’s degree.”

He noted that total number of 21 students bagged first class, 207 students with second class upper division, 417 students with second class lower division, 207 students with third class, while 24 students graduated with a pass.

Ibrahim said while there had been increase in the numbers of first class and second class degrees, there had been a reduction in the numbers of third class and pass degrees.

The vice-chancellor also said that financing of personnel emoluments; infrastructural development, supplies and maintenance of utilities remained challenging.

He said the 2016/2017 fiscal year would witness the focusing of the universities attention on establishing new academic programmes in health sciences and agriculture, among others.

The vice -hancellor announced that the university would partner with the Islamic Financial Institution, Jaiz Bank for further development of the school.

“I feel very elated and fulfilled to mention the promising and potentially rewarding partnership with Jaiz Bank Plc for financing our projects beginning in the 2016/2017 fiscal year,” he said.

“This relationship is expected to fill the development gap created by our inability to source interest-based loan from our existing financial institutions all these years, in line with the institutional Islamic philosophy.”