Soludo Offers Automatic Employment to 37 First-Class Graduates at COOU Convocation

Governor Chukwuma Soludo has approved automatic employment for 37 graduates who finished with first-class honours at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State.

The announcement was made on Saturday during the university’s 16th convocation ceremony held at its main campus in Igbariam, Anambra East Local Government Area.

Soludo also awarded ₦4 million to the overall best graduating student, Augustus Umeh, who graduated from the Department of Economics with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.85 on a 5.0 scale.

Addressing the graduating class, the governor said Nigeria is undergoing a difficult but necessary period of transition, urging graduates to respond with solutions rather than complaints.

He encouraged them to apply their skills to real-world challenges and contribute meaningfully to national development, stressing that his administration remains committed to strengthening human capital as a foundation for future progress.

The Chancellor of the university, Bishop Matthew Kukah, praised the state government’s continued investment in education, noting Anambra’s strong performance in the sector compared to other states. He added that the institution would aim not only to meet its goals but to exceed them under his leadership.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kate Omenugha, announced that a total of 3,155 students were awarded first degrees across different disciplines, while 803 postgraduate students also graduated.

According to her breakdown, 37 students earned first-class honours, 888 graduated with second-class upper division, and 1,712 with third-class degrees.

She congratulated the graduating class and urged them to uphold the university’s standards and values in their future endeavours, adding that COOU remains committed to academic growth and global competitiveness.