THE University of Ilorin, Kwara state is turning out 48 First Class graduates during this year's Convocation Ceremonies taking place between Monday, October 20, and Thursday, October 23.

A press statement signed by the institution's Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Kunle Akogun indicated that the 48 First Class materials are among the 5,421 graduands, who will be receiving their first degrees in various disciplines at this year's convocation, which is the 30th in the series.

Akogun yesterday said in Ilorin that a total of 1,190 are graduating with the Second Class Upper degree; 2,814 graduands will be awarded the Second Class Lower degree while a total of 1,068 will bag the Third Class degree and 84 will get the Pass grade.

Besides, to convoke are 18 Diploma graduands, 642 Masters degree 106 Ph.D and 142 postgraduate Diploma graduands.

"A further breakdown of the performance of the graduands shows that 12 of the First Class graduates are from the Faculty of Engineering; 11 are from the Faculty of Physical Sciences; nine from the Faculty of Life Sciences; six from the Faculty of Agriculture and five from the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences. The Faculty of Management Sciences produced two First Class graduates this year while the Faculties of Arts, Basic Medical Sciences and Education produced one First Class graduate each.

"The Faculty of Education is producing the highest number of graduating students this year with a total of 1,640, followed by the Faculty of Physical Sciences (694), the Faculty of Arts (627), the Faculty of Life Sciences (491), the Faculty of Social Sciences (431) and the Faculty of Engineering and Technology (299).

Others are: the Faculty of Management Sciences (254), the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences (238), the Faculty of Agriculture (224), the Faculty of Clinical Sciences (217), the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences (168), and the faculty of Law (156).

"In the postgraduate category, the Faculty of Management Sciences will issue 147 higher degrees, made up of 66 postgraduate Diplomas, 77 Masters degrees and four Ph.Ds. This is followed by the Faculty of Physical Sciences with 145 higher degrees, consisting 18 postgraduate Diplomas, 104 Masters degrees and 23 Ph.Ds. The Faculty of Arts is issuing 122 higher degrees, made up of 102 Masters degrees and 20 Ph.Ds while the Faculty of Education will present 121 graduands for higher degrees.

Others are: the Faculty of Life Sciences, 89 higher degrees; the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, 70; the Faculties of Agriculture and Law, 50 each; the Faculty of Social Sciences, 42; the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, 31; and the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, 23.

Meanwhile, activities marking the 30th Convocation Ceremonies of the University of Ilorin will kick off this Friday (October 17, 2014) with a Special Juma'at Service at the University Central Mosque at 1.30a.m.

Releasing the programme of events at the weekend, the Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Dada Obafemi, said that a Special Church Service to commemorate the commencement of the 2013/2014 convocation ceremonies would also hold on Sunday, October 19, 2014 at the Catholic Chaplaincy, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, University of Ilorin at 9.30a.m.

Other events for the ceremony, according to Mr. Obafemi, include the Vice-Chancellor's Press Briefing, which comes up on Monday, October 20, 2014 at the University Main Auditorium by 10.00a.m. The Convocation Play, entitled "The Killers" (An anti-violence play) and written by Dr. A. A. Adeoye, will be staged at 4.00p.m. and 6.00p.m. on the same Monday at the Performing Arts Theatre.

The Convocation Lecture, entitled "Innovation: A Trans-disciplinary Approac", will be delivered on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 by Prof. Dzulkifli Abdul Rasak, the President , International Association of Universities. The lecture takes place at the University Main Auditorium at 10.00a.m.

Also on Tuesday, the Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Benjamin Ikenchuku, the Dein of Agbor, will host a cocktail in honour of the Convocation Lecturer at the Chancellor's Lodge by 6.00p.m.

On Wednesday, October 22, 2014, the main convocation for the award of prizes, first degrees and diplomas for graduands from the Faculties of Arts, Education, Law, Management Science and Social Science will take place at the University Main Auditorium at 10.00a.m.