The graduating students of Oil & Gas Management E15 Class held a befitting Send Forth Dinner at the prestigious 5 star Grange City Hotel, Tower Hill, London on Friday, 22 January 2016.
The outgoing students supported by family and friends all turned out dressed up like business leaders to celebrate their well – earned degree.
The proud and elated lecturers and mentors of the graduating students were in attendance led by Mr. Baba Sheba, Head of Department Oil & Gas Management at University of Plymouth – GSM, Dr. Kenneth Aidelojie PhD, Programme Leader,
Oil & Gas Management, Ms Anne-Marie Laffey, Module Leader Strategic Management and Mr. Bora Alpar, Module Leader Project Management.
The Special Guest Speaker, Prince Mike Abiola, Editor in Chief of African Voice, Britain’s N0.1 African Newspaper in his remarks to the graduating students enjoined them to stay connected with one another. He emphasised that networking is key to having contacts in any industry.
He assured them that the future is bright for them as they have taken the good step of having a university degree. But they must remain focussed on their dreams.
While addressing the Oil and Gas Management graduates, Abiola said, ‘Do not be discouraged by the screaming headlines you read in newspapers. I am sure you all know that bad news do sell’.
‘You read in newspapers and hear on television every week that the industry to which most of you are hoping and looking forward to employment opportunities is faced with uncertainties as the commodity oil which was over $120 a barrel in 2012 has dipped to below $30 early this week’.
GOOD NEWS
‘The good news is that you are leaving the University armed with various skills. As graduates of Management you don’t all have to seek employment in the oil industry.
You are graduating at a good time. Graduate jobs market has improved significantly than the past few years’.
CHALLENGES
He advised the graduating students that there would be challenges ahead but beneath those challenges are opportunities.
‘Be prepared to take up the challenges. Be ready to leave your comfort zones. Be prepared to travel abroad if it is required of you’.
While directing some of his remarks to those over 40 years and above. Prince Abiola said, ‘You all must not head to the employment market. Most of you should aim to be employers of labour by starting your own businesses’.
‘You must be thinkers, you must generates new ideas. You must find something unique to do to make the world around you a better place’.
START UP GRANTS
‘So aim to Become entrepreneurs. Two to three or more of you can come together to apply for government funding to set up a new enterprise. You can easily package a business plan to get start-up grants and funding’.
‘Prime Minister David Cameron recently announced government plans to increase patronage to Small and Medium size Enterprises. You can benefit a lot from that policy statement’.
‘If you remain focussed on what you want to achieve. You will be successful’.
In his closing remarks, Prince Abiola, an Alumnus of the university quoted Baba Sheba, the Head of Department, Oil & Gas Management. ‘At this level we are expecting a critical evaluation & analysis and with every analysis there must be a conclusion.
Prince Mike Abiola therefore advised the outgoing students: ‘You cannot afford to fail. You cannot afford not to excel in life. You have had the opportunity of a university education. Your family and friends are looking up to you, the continent of Africa is looking up to those of us in the Diaspora and l have the believe that you will make a difference in the world. Congratulations to all of you graduating students of Oil & Gas Management E15 Class of 2016. Good luck and God bless you all.’
The Send Forth Night was indeed an evening to be remembered as promised by the comperes of the evening, the duo of veteran actress Golda John Abiola and Oluwole Elebiju, both members of the Alumni E15 Class of 2016.
The well attended and highly successful night was organised by the following Committee Members John Oyeniran, Taiwo Olatoye, Modupeola Akinwale, Richard Akpabio, Oluwole Elebiju, Frederick Olaniyi, Babatunde Makanjuola, Yomi Sowemimo – Coker, Golda John Abiola, Adegboyega Akande and Joshua Babatunde Johnson.
