The 38th Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) will serve a dual moment of celebration and transition as a total of 3,358 students prepare to graduate, while the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Nnenna N. Oti, bows out of office after a tenure marked by academic and infrastructural transformation.
Speaking during a pre-convocation press briefing at the Council Chamber, Oti described the ceremony as emotionally significant, noting that it coincides with the conclusion of her tenure as the university’s eighth substantive Vice-Chancellor.
“This particular convocation holds something unique for me because it is holding as part of my end-of-tenure activities and offers me the opportunity to render my final account as I bow out as the 8th substantive Vice-Chancellor of this great institution,” she said.
According to her, 3,061 students will receive first degrees, while 297 will be awarded postgraduate diplomas and higher degrees during the ceremony scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 2026.
She disclosed that the overall best graduating student is Onyeka Remigius Chinecherem of the Department of Optometry, who finished with a CGPA of 4.91 on a 5.0 scale.
The Vice-Chancellor also confirmed that honorary doctorate degrees will be conferred on three distinguished Nigerians in recognition of their contributions to national development and humanity. The recipients are the Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Catherine Uju Ifejika, and Sayyu Dantata.
Reviewing her tenure, Oti highlighted significant achievements in academic excellence, research output, infrastructure development and institutional reforms. She noted that FUTO rose from 34th to 11th position in national rankings and strengthened its employability index performance.
She also revealed that the university secured multiple research grants, expanded academic programmes, improved administrative efficiency, and increased student carrying capacity by over 80 per cent.
According to her, transcript processing time was reduced from several months to less than two weeks, while the institution now enjoys near-complete accreditation coverage across academic programmes.
Oti further pointed to major infrastructure and research investments attracted during her administration, including centres of excellence that secured multi-million-dollar funding for innovation and development.
One of the most notable milestones, she said, was the restoration of uninterrupted electricity supply to the campus through the Energizing Education Programme Phase III and the installation of a 63MVA Mobile Substation.
She expressed gratitude to the Federal Government, development partners, alumni, and staff for their support throughout her tenure, noting that the achievements recorded were a collective effort.
As the convocation approaches, the university prepares to celebrate its graduating class while also marking the end of a leadership era that significantly shaped FUTO’s academic direction and institutional profile.
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