Sokoto varsity to clear five-year convocation backlog

Sokoto State University is determined to resolve a five-year backlog of convocation ceremonies, a move the Vice-Chancellor described as essential for academic tradition and student welfare. The institution has not held a convocation since the 2019/2020 academic session, leaving many graduates without their certificates.

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Convocation ceremony is an academic tradition. Every university that admits, trains and graduates students should organise a convocation ceremony. In fact, by law, it is an annual event.

"I wondered how we allowed a backlog of convocation ceremonies," the VC stated, emphasizing that certificates are legally required for graduates to receive them. He noted that the delay unfairly impacted students who had already completed their studies, hindering their ability to secure employment or pursue further education.

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I wondered how we allowed a backlog of convocation ceremonies. By the regulations of the university system, certificates are not issued until the convocation ceremony is held. I felt we were not fair to our students who graduated long ago.

The backlog created significant challenges for graduates. The VC recounted a case where a student nearly lost an admission offer to Queen’s University due to the missing certificate. The university had to issue an official confirmation of graduation to resolve the issue. Similar verification requests have been received from prominent organizations like the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Department of State Services, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

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We said, ‘Let’s try to clear the backlog and ensure that every year, every session, we organise a convocation.’ This is to help our students who have graduated.

To address these issues, the university management has committed to clearing the backlog and resuming annual convocations. All certificates have been prepared with advanced security features to prevent forgery. Graduates will receive their certificates immediately after the upcoming combined 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th convocation ceremony.

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The authorities of Queen’s University wrote that they would send the student back if he did not produce his certificate. We had to write officially to confirm that he graduated from Sokoto State University, and thankfully they accepted our explanation. The student retained his admission.