----As 22 graduands bags first class honours in PLASU 8th and 9th combined convocation 

The former minister of Defense, Lieut. General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, has charged Nigerian Government to prioritize developing manpower, especially the youthful population who possess the potentials of  revolutionizing the country's economy.

Gen. Danjuma said we "must mentor, support, finance, and guide our young leaders — not waiting for external forces, but drawing from our own resources and talents.

He made the clarion call on Saturday during the 8th and 9th combined convocation ceremony of the Plateau State University (PLASU), Bokkos, where be bestow with Honourary doctorate degree of business administration and ethics (Honoris Causa) alongside young entrepreneur, Iyinoluwa Samuel Aboyeji who was conferred with Honourary doctorate degree of information technology and entrepreneurship.

The 8th and 9th combined convocation ceremony saw 22 graduands cutting across different academic discipline earned first class honours.

Gen. Danjuma acknowledged he is humbled by the recognition done him for two principal reasons which is the issue of the Middle Belt that has now entered international discourse. 
According to him, "the name ‘Middle Belt’ has become part of global vocabulary. When President Donald Trump publicly spoke about the situation in Nigeria-particularly the concerns affecting communities in the Middle Belt- the international media took notice. Many were surprised, some puzzled, yet the conversation persisted. 

"Today, the world is listening more closely to the realities of our region. For that awareness, we are grateful", he stated.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang confirmed the convocation is not merely a celebration of academic attainment rather it is a celebration of resilience, excellence, and the harvest of years of intellectual discipline.

Governor Mutfwang who is a visitor to the institution upon
assumption of office they made a deliberate decision to restore Plateau State as a centre of academic excellence. 

"Our institutions must not merely award degrees; they must serve as vibrant hubs of research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and global relevance.
"We have invested nearly one billion naira in programme accreditation to ensure that courses meet both national and international standards.

We funded the establishment of the Faculty of Law and supported the take-off, the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

"These investments go beyond infrastructure. They reflect our determination to strengthen healthcare delivery by training competent professionals who will advance medical research and safeguard the well-being of our people."

The governor also acknowledged they approved the unbundling of Mass Communication into a full Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, positioning Plateau State at the forefront of digital media innovation and professional training.
PLASU Vice Chancellor Prof. Shedrach Gaya Best, revealed convocation combines two sessions, 2020/2021 and the 2021/2022 academic sessions.
"For the 2020/2021 session, a total of 1,247 candidates will convince, while 1,238 will convoke from the 2021/2022 session.

"The two sets give a total of 2,485 graduands at the Bachelor's degree level. In each of this sessions, 11 graduands earned first class degrees, totalling 22 first class graduates for the 8th and 9th combined convocation ceremony. While post graduate diploma is 13 and masters degree 78.

He appreciates Governor Mutfwang for prioritising staff welfare as approved the new minimum wage and increasing institutional allocations to promote financial sustainability and dignity for the academic workforce.

Our correspondent reports that, Governor Mutfwang announced donations of N250,000 for each of the first class graduands as the overall graduating students got N500,000 each.