The Ecole Superieure des sciences, de commerce et administration des enterprise du Benin (ESCAE University) on Saturday awarded Honoris Causa (Doctorate degree) in Public Administration to the President of the Journalists International Forum For Migration (JIFORM), Ajibola Abayomi, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Sierra Leone, Alpha Timbo and others during her 2021 Convocation at Porto Novo.
At the event that attracted top dignitaries including the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Benin Republic, the President/Chancellor of the University, Dr Mehoba Dossa Theodore charged the awardees that also included member of the African Union Labour-Migration Advisory Committee, Dr Princess Asie Kabuki Ocansey from Ghana, Director General, Cross River State Migration Control Agency, Prince Abuo Michael Nku and another Nigerian, Barrister Ohanyere Cosmos Chinendu to be good ambassadors of the school.
He said the technology university founded was happy to have the awardees join the league of graduates with outstanding abilities both within and outside Africa since 2008.
Responding, Timbo who was represented by another awardee Ocansey, in an audio speech relayed at the occasion thanked the university for the honour and pledged work with the management of the institution to attain higher heights.
Unveiling the ESCAE Magazine produced by the students of the Mass Communication Department from its Annex, Ajibola lauded the initiative and encouraged the management to motivate the students to sustain the culture.
After mobilising donations to support the magazine, he reiterated the readiness of the JIFORM to partner the school to improve the publication.
He extended invitations to Dr Mehoba and other dignitaries to attend the second edition of the African Migration Summit he hinted was being proposed for Sierra Leone between August 24-28.
An elated Dr Ocansey, who doubled as the Principal Consultant to the Sierra Leonean Government on Labour Migration and Direct Investment appreciated the school for the honour.
The Ghana AU representative presented a book containing 10 keys to prosperous migration she authored and another one published by Timbo on migration matters to the university with a promise to mobilise multi- million-dollar loan and financial grants to support students of African origin starting the ESCAE university in due course to further their studies studies in Canada, America and other.
Abuo, on his part announced the sponsorship of annual scholarships to back the educational quests of students in the institution.
In his remark, Dr Ajijola Isaac Abiodun, the Director of studies at the ESCAE Annex encouraged both the local and international graduating students to be of good behaviour by justifying the academic pedigree they had attained to the advantage of their countries.
The convocation lecture that centred on youth and development was delivered by Mr Titus Ajijola, a former Deputy Registrar of the Lagos State University, Ojo.
