- Be Solution Builders, Not Certificate Holders, Hamzat Urges New University Graduates
- Charged graduating students to see convocation not as an endpoint, but as the beginning of greater responsibility
- Urged graduands to continually reassess their ideas
The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has said Nigeria’s progress will depend on graduates who are able to think critically, act responsibly and confront national challenges head-on, rather than those who rely solely on academic certificates.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Hamzat made the remarks on Tuesday in Osogbo, Osun State, at the 15th convocation lecture of Fountain University, where he served as chairman of the occasion.
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He was represented by the Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mr. Layode Olanrewaju.
Speaking on the growing gap between academic qualifications and labour market demands, the deputy governor charged graduating students to see convocation not as an endpoint, but as the beginning of greater responsibility, service and engagement with society.
According to him, academic excellence alone is no longer sufficient in a rapidly evolving world, stressing that graduates must combine knowledge with compassion, wisdom and problem-solving skills to remain relevant.
“The world does not need more passive graduates; it needs active citizens,” Hamzat said. “It needs solution builders, bridge-makers across divisions and stewards of our collective future. Beyond specialised knowledge and critical thinking, you must cultivate wisdom, guided by compassion.”
He urged the graduands to continually reassess their ideas, remain open to growth and apply their training to the diverse challenges they will encounter in real life.
Delivering the convocation lecture titled ‘From Faith to Fortune: Building a Prosperous Ummah Through Leadership, Education, Innovation and Economic Empowerment’, the guest lecturer, Mr. Kazeem Adeduntan, called on Islamic scholars to extend their influence beyond religious circles into economic, technological and policy leadership.
Adeduntan, founder and president of Sequoia Holdings, described the global Muslim community as a largely untapped force, encouraging scholars to develop expertise in emerging areas such as Islamic digital ethics, Islamic venture finance and Islamic biomedical law.
He argued that Islamic leadership must transition from excessive caution to confident, ethical stewardship capable of shaping modern institutions and markets.
“Our scholars are custodians of moral and ethical values,” he said. “But in the 21st century, those values must also guide boardrooms, financial markets and digital platforms. Without moral leadership in these spaces, they will be dominated by systems lacking ethical restraint.”
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Fountain University, Prof. Ramota Karim, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to academic excellence, character formation and service to humanity.
She revealed that the university invested over ₦2.7 billion in capital projects during the academic session, noting that the institution would continue to align with global best practices while remaining rooted in its core values.
Providing details of the convocation statistics, Karim disclosed that 426 undergraduate students graduated at the ceremony, including 43 First Class, 190 Second Class Upper, 135 Second Class Lower, 51 Third Class and seven Pass degree holders.
She added that 81 postgraduate students would also receive advanced degrees, including a doctoral degree in Microbiology from the Department of Biological Sciences.
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