Management of the University of Ilorin, UNILORIN, Kwara state, North Central Nigeria says graduates of the institution are the cause of delay in the production of their certificates.
Gatekeepers News reports that more than a year after graduation and four months after the convocation, UNILORIN class of 2021 are yet to receive certificates.
UNILORIN has the tradition of giving out certificates to graduates on the day of convocation.
It, was, however, different for this set which had its convocation on the 22nd of October 2023 (about 11 months after graduation).
This set of graduates had to face the challenges of travelling down from various states (where a majority of them were having their NYSC programme).
They were mandated to pay some additional amounts of fees plus what was paid when they graduated. After all these hardships and more, the University could not produce their certificates (as promised by the officials in some meetings held before the ceremonies) and they all went back to their various destinations disappointed.
More than 4 months after the convocation ceremony and more than a year after graduation, the University has kept mute about the certificates.
This has led to anxiety amongst the set as no one has a clue about the whereabouts of the certificates.
The Statement of Result initially given is expired and not all the graduates were able to renew the document before leaving the University environment in October.
Many of these people are done with their NYSC and they are seeking opportunities within the country and beyond but there is a setback because they don’t have a certificate.
Some students who prefer to remain anonymous lamented the situation.
A student identified as Bola said, “I have had to forgo a couple of life-changing opportunities because my statement of result didn’t suffice. It’s bad enough that I paid twice for convocation. I still don’t have access to the document that proves that I’m a graduate.”
Another former student said “I’m not really affected because I still have a few months before I finish NYSC. However, I have several friends that have been victims of this situation and if it continues this way, I would definitely be affected”
Gatekeepers News reached out to the Management through the Director of Corporate Affairs, Kunle Akogun and he said some batches of certificates arrived last week.
Kunle Akogun in a statement exclusive to Gatekeepers News added that the delay in the production was caused by some graduates who have refused to upload their passports.
The statement read, “Our Response, It’s not the practice of the University of Ilorin to delay the issuance of certificates to its graduates.
“The current situation is a bit beyond the University. Nonetheless, the University is not resting on its oars to ensure timely receipt and distribution of the same.
“We have just taken delivery of some last week Thursday, and the relevant office is working on it for onward distribution to the respective owners.
“It is important to emphasise that some of the graduates have refused to upload their passports on their portals for the production of certificates. They were contacted through various media, yet they didn’t respond.
“The University Management regrets the delay and promises that very soon, the matter will become a thing of the past. We are also using this medium to appeal to graduates who have refused to upload their passports for certificates to do so on time.
“The management thanks the affected graduates as well as their parents/guardians for their understanding. Thanks.”
