The Vice-Chancellor of Wesley University, Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Prof Sunday Samuel Obeka, said 38 students graduated with first-class honours in the 11 and 12th convocation ceremonies of the institution.
Prof. Obeka disclosed this during the 18th convocation ceremony conferment of degrees, and presentation of prizes in Ondo.
In his speech at the convocation ceremony, the VC said the institution produced 348 graduates with 159 students bagging second class upper division.
According to him, the Methodist Church used Western education as a tool for the propagation of Christianity.
The vice-chancellor said that the church founded several institutions like primary, secondary, and Teacher Training Colleges.
Delivering the convocation lecture entitled “Early church fathers as a Panacea for Sustainable Development in Nigeria”, a renowned educationist and Registrar of the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Dr. John Ujo David decried the commercialization of education in Nigeria.
Expressing his displeasure over the development, Prof. David berated the current situation in the education sector in the country.
While observing that the value of education is gradually being debased due to the alleged commercialization of education today, the don noted that “gradually and steadily, the erstwhile sound missionary schools are giving way to commercialized and unaffordable schools or miracle centres.”
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He condemned the high tuition of many of the faith-based tertiary institutions in the country.
His words: “It is unbelievable that a church member’s child cannot attend a training centred up with the proceeds of offerings and tithes which the members also made contributions to, owing to the man’s indigence.
“To this, we ask where lies the service-oriented content in church vision,” he asked rhetorically.
He further stated that the university has today become a breeding ground for cultism, banditry, kidnapping, and violent lifestyles, rather than being the centre of academic excellence that it was originally designed to be.
According to him, the ugly situation in the university system has hitherto made the landscape incipient of chaos, indecency, violence, instability, and decay.
He regretted that reading culture which is supposed to be the centerpiece of the university has been eroded, thereby resulting in serious poor academic performances.
While identifying technology as one of the reasons behind the bad behaviour of many students in tertiary institutions, he said that the use of Android phones and iPhones contributed to menace in the university.
