UNIBEN Blocks Student’s Graduation For 3 Years, Says ‘Too Busy’ To Compile Records

A University of Benin student has
been denied graduation for three
years despite meeting all academic
requirements, and his lecturers and
examination officials say they have
been too busy to compile his
records.
Temidayo Awoyemi, 26, had eagerly
hoped to fulfill his dreams after
graduation from the school’s
department of chemistry. He now
has spent three years now after
completing his studies, without
graduation.
Officials in his department and
faculty say they have had no time to
process his records for the last two
years.
The faculty checker, Professor
Anthony Imiavan, in charge of
scrutinizing students’ records,
confirmed to Premium Times that
the student had no case to keep him
from graduating.
A spokesperson for the school told
this newspaper the case was
“strange”, and assured it would be
resolved quickly.
Despite that assurance, the school
has yet to act on the matter more
than a month after.
Temidayo’s problem began in his
final year when his department said
his West African Senior Secondary
School Certificate was not in its
records. At least five other students
in his class had the same problem.
After losing the 2012/13 school
session to a six-month strike by
Academic Staff Union of Universities,
Temidayo hoped he would be quickly
let go the next session once he
provided a copy of the missing
certificate.
He submitted the certificate to the
chemistry department and began to
wait for clearance since 2013/2014
session. Two years after, he is still
waiting for the school to process his
result for graduation.
The process of clearing him requires
the approval of his course adviser,
Wayne Omagamre, faculty checker,
Professor Anthony Imiavan; the Head
of Department, Professor James
Okuo; and Dean, Professor Sunday
Omosigho.