Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa, the Chairman, Supra Diocesan Board (West), Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), has urged Nigerians to elect credible and competent leaders in the 2023 general election.
Akinfenwa made the plea on Thursday at the 14th Convocation of Ajayi Crowther University in Oyo.
Ajayi Crowther University is a faith-based university committed to the nurturing of world-class and godly intellectuals.
Akinfenwa, in the company of Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), the ACU Pro-Chancellor, Prof.Timothy Adebayo, the Vice-Chancellor and Prof. Muyiwa Popoola, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, had led the inauguration of some projects in the university.
NAN reports that the newly inaugurated projects included Cafeteria, Civil Engineering Laboratories, Medical laboratories, Nursing Laboratories, Wole Olanipekun Lecture Building, and Diagnostic Medical Laboratory.
Akinfenwa, also a Visitor to the university, pleaded with Nigerians to elect only credible and competent persons into leadership positions during the 2023 general election.
According to him, if we do this, things will turn around for good and our nation shall become better for all of us.
He challenged the graduands to be inspired by the example of Bishop Crowther and commit to lives dedicated to the pursuit of the common good.
Akinfenwa said that the world does not care about their certificates, but their impact, urging them to make a positive impact.
Olanipekun urged the graduands to positively harness the mental prosperity they garnered from the university toward building a fulfilling future career.
He urged them not to rest on the shoulders of conventional salary jobs, but on the critical creative engagement of the mind to make tangible meaning in life.
“I urge you to always be great ambassadors of our university where we raise godly intellectuals,” Olanipekun said.
He reeled out the achievements recorded in the institution since he was appointed the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council.
“Our success records are both quantitative and qualitative, and are put in terms of facilities and infrastructure, academic development, funding, finances, and visitation panel,” he said.
Olanipekun said the fact that the university was rapidly growing on many fronts at the same time was “an eloquent testimony that the current management is really working”.
Also, the ACU Vice-Chancellor, said that progress recorded in the institution over the years had been possible by the commitments and goodwill of some people toward the university.
“ACU had continued to thrive in the aspects of actualizing the basic indices for measuring the impact of a great university, which are the tripartite areas of teaching, research, and community service,” he said.
Adebayo appreciated the benevolence of great Nigerians for the invaluable interventions, partnership, and counsel that they offered the university consistently.
Commenting, Oluwadolapo Dina, the Valedictorian, charged her fellow graduands to make good use of the knowledge acquired and make a positive impact in society.
The 20-year-old Bio-Chemistry graduate had emerged as the overall best graduating student with a CGPA of 4.94.
Dina said that she was inspired by her family, especially her mother, who always sing the importance of education and success into her ears always.
She advised students to take their lectures, test, and examinations very seriously, urging them to always make use of the libraries.
“Please always put God first, read and have it at the back of your mind that education is key.
“I hope to do my Master's immediately and work with a food production company,” she said.