No fewer than 246 graduates bagged first class degrees at the University of Nigeria (UNN) 50th convocation ceremony on Friday.

The UNN Vice-Chancellor, Prof Charles Igwe, disclosed this in Nsukka on Friday in a remark during the university’s convocation ceremony for 2019/2020 session to confer bachelors degrees on 14,308 graduates.

Igwe urged all the graduates to live up to expectations in all they do, saying the country was in dire need of truly educated men and women.

The Vice-Chancellor said: “In this UNN 50th convocation, a total of 14,308 will receive bachelors degrees of the university.

“246 bagged first class, 5,092 made second class upper, 7,865 made second class lower, 2,088 made third class, while 17 went home with pass.

“As an alumnus of this university, I urge you to live up to expectations by being good ambassador of the UNN and good citizen of the country.”

Igwe said all the graduating students were unique and special because they were the golden graduates of the university’s 50th convocation.

The UNN VC further urged the graduands not to allow the prevailing socio-economic conditions in the country, especially unemployment, to diminish the value of their graduation.

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“As you leave the university to face the real world, do not allow the prevailing socio-economic conditions in the country to diminish the value of your graduation.

“With focus, integrity, hardwok and absolute trust in God, you will rule the world with the knowledge you have acquired as lions and lionesses,” Igwe added.

The VC said UNN decided to bring billionaire businessman, Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, who is an alumnus of the university, to inspire and motivate graduates and undergraduates of the university.

Speaking, Obi Cubana, who graduated in 1998, said he was happy to be invited to inspire and motivate graduates and undergraduates of his alma mater which made him what he is now.

“Today, I have come back to this convocation hall as home coming, to share my story, so that you can learn some lessons from my experience, and hopefully, get inspired and motivated to confront the future with greater confidence.

“The secret of my success is focus, integrity, hard work, and special grace of God,” he said.

Obi Cubana instituted some prizes like N1 million Cubana prize for the best graduating student in every convocation.

He also named N1 million Cubana prize for the best graduating student of the Department of Political Science, “the department that produced me”.

The Star