Wesley University Ondo, Ondo State, has produced 38 first-class graduates out of 348 graduates for its 11th and 12th convocation ceremony.

A breakdown of the convocation figure shows that 159 students’ bagged second class upper, 124 got second class lower and 12 made third class, while 13 bagged pass, for their first degree.

The faith based university also conferred fellows and honorary doctorate awards on personalities, including, Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Oliver Ali Aba; Benue State Deputy Governor, Dr. Samuel Ode; Och’Otukpo Odu, His Royal Highness, Dr. John Onuminya Eimonye, and member, representing Ondo East and West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Abiola Peter Makinde.

Other awardees are: Executive Chairman, Leschman Foundation 4 Education, Mr. Bolanle Benjamin Leshi; former Ikeja Federal House of Representative, Chief Akinyemi Beckely; Vice President, Global Hands Foundation, Chief Elder Ita Etim Onakak; Elder, United Methodist Church, USA, Elder Ita Ntekim; Federal Commissioner, Nigerian Law Reform Commission, Barr. Bassey Dan Abia; Former Commissioner, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Chief Paul Harris Adekole Ogbole; Special Adviser to Benue State Governor on Sports Development, Mrs. Elizabeth Idoko Okogun; Special Adviser to Benue State Deputy Governor on Women and Youth Development, Chief Sonni Ikwue Adapoyi and General/Chief Executive Officer, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Abubakar Gambo Umar.

Speaking at the convocation lecture with the theme: ‘Early Church fathers as panacea for sustainable development in Nigeria’, Registrar, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi (JOSTUM) Benue, Dr. John Ujo David, lamented that some of the faith based universities in the country are gradually and steadily giving way to either highly commercialized and unaffordable schools or miracle centers.

David stressed that the value of education is gradually being debased by its commercialization contrary to service value attached to it by the nation’s forefathers.

The registrar noted that church member’s children cannot attend some of the universities set up with their proceeds of offering and tithes, owing to this development

“Unfortunately, in spite of the sacrifices of church fathers to the development of educational centers, the system has been compromised and it is a disgrace. What was meant to be a citadel of learning, has become a hotbed for power struggle, group rivalry and personality clashes. The university system today, rather than being a catalyst for development where its education is basically structured to develop people’s intellect, has regrettably become a breeding ground for cultism, banditry, kidnapping and violent lifestyles,” he said.

Vice-Chancellor, Wesley University Ondo, Prof. Samuel Sunday Obeka, said all the degrees offered by the institution have full accreditation by the National Universities Commission.