Ondo Govt Offers Automatic Jobs to 32 Varsity Graduates

The Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), owned by Ondo State, has declared “Automatic Jobs” for 32 exceptional graduates from the university.

During a press conference held yesterday to announce the activities for the university’s 14th convocation, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, shared this information.

Ige characterized the initiative as part of the university’s efforts to address the increasing brain drain within the academic sector.

He stated that the beneficiaries—who are all first-class graduates—would be given job offers as Graduate Fellows or Graduate Assistants, contingent on their willingness to return after completing their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program.

“There is a policy on campus where first-class graduates are employed as Graduate Fellows or Graduate Assistants. We typically provide them employment if they express interest in returning post-NYSC,” he explained.

He pointed out that the prevalent ‘Japa syndrome’ is significantly affecting universities across the country, as professors leave for better pay abroad.

“A PhD holder in Nigeria, working as a Lecturer II or Lecturer I, has a maximum monthly salary of about N250,000. However, if that same individual secures an opportunity overseas, they would earn at least N5 million,” he remarked.

The Vice Chancellor emphasized that the 5,799 graduating students had been equipped with crucial academic and entrepreneurial skills that will enable them to contribute to both national and global development.

Prof. Ige also lamented the insufficient funding of AAUA, indicating that this limitation continues to instigate unrest among academic staff and exacerbates the migration of university personnel.

“Funding at AAUA is insufficient. This was one of the reasons for ASUU’s strike. The subvention we receive is grossly inadequate to meet the university’s requirements,” he noted.

He asserted that proper funding is essential for reinforcing universities and bringing them up to global standards.

The VC provided details about the graduating cohort, indicating that 5,251 out of the 5,799 are undergraduates, 526 are postgraduate students, and 22 will be awarded diploma certificates.

“Thirty-two graduates achieved First Class honors, 1,444 received Second Class Upper Division, 3,177 earned Second Class Lower Division, 582 obtained Third Class, and 16 will graduate with Pass degrees.”