From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
No fewer than 79 students of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, will graduate with distinctions at the National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) levels during the institution’s 5th combined convocation ceremony scheduled for Saturday.
The Rector of the Polytechnic, Prof. Salisu Usman Ogbo, disclosed this on Thursday at a convocation press briefing held on the campus. He said 41 students at the ND level and 38 at the HND level emerged with distinctions across various schools and departments.
Prof. Ogbo further revealed that a total of 2,965 students will be graduating at the convocation ceremony, comprising 1,711 ND graduates and 1,254 HND graduates in different academic programmes.
According to him, the performance profile reinforces the Polytechnic’s reputation for producing graduates who are not only academically sound but also practically equipped and industry-ready.
The Rector also announced the introduction of a new statement of result template with enhanced security features to safeguard the integrity and credibility of the institution’s academic credentials.
“This innovation effectively prevents falsification and ensures that all statements issued by the institution are authentic, tamper-proof, and verifiable,” he said.
He added that the Polytechnic has introduced a comprehensive digital platform for examinations, results computation, and payments, a reform he said has significantly improved transparency, confidence, and integrity in the conduct of examinations and processing of results.
Addressing the issue of indiscriminate production and sale of textbooks on campus, Prof. Ogbo said management has empowered the relevant committee with broader regulatory authority to ensure quality control, central pricing, and voluntary purchase by students.
Reflecting on his tenure, the Rector said he assumed office at a defining moment in the institution’s history, when it lacked critical governance structures such as principal officers and a governing council.
“We took over an institution where cultism and insecurity had gained alarming prominence, with negative implications for academic stability, institutional reputation, and community relations,” he said.
He noted that the Polytechnic also faced severe challenges including negative public perception, lack of functional student hostels, poor ICT infrastructure, and ethnic polarisation on campus.
Prof. Ogbo recalled that he assumed office as Acting Rector on April 7, 2020, with his appointment confirmed on February 12, 2021, by the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello.
He further disclosed that in June 2024, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo approved the renewal of his appointment ahead of the expiration of his first tenure, with effect from February 12, 2025.
According to him, the Governor recently appointed him as Vice-Chancellor of Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba.
“I am immensely grateful to the Governor for sustaining the confidence, trust, and support reposed in me. I remain eternally appreciative of this uncommon trust and favour,” Prof. Ogbo said.
