Embrace Reality Of 21st Century, Stakeholders Tell Graduates At PCU Convocation
•By KAZEEM OYENIYI
IBADAN – STAKEHOLDERS in Nigeria’s education and faith communities have urged fresh graduates to embrace continuous learning and adapt to the fast-changing realities of the 21st century in order to remain competitive in the global knowledge economy.
This call was made on Friday during the 4th Convocation Ceremony of Precious Cornerstone University (PCU), Ibadan, where 143 students graduated, including 14 who finished with First Class Honours.
Delivering the convocation lecture titled “Beyond Certificates: Preparing Graduates for Relevance in a Knowledge-Driven Economy,” Apostle Joshua Selman, founder of Eternity Network International (Koinonia Global), said traditional qualifications alone were no longer sufficient for relevance in today’s rapidly evolving world.
“Graduation should not signal arrival but evolution. Move from the mentality of ‘I have arrived’ to ‘I am evolving.’ Your degree proves you can learn; now prove that you can adapt,” Selman told the graduands.
He urged them to adopt the “T-shaped skills” model—deep mastery in one field supported by broad competence across multiple areas. Citing World Economic Forum projections that over 85 million jobs could be displaced by automation from 2025, he stressed the need for agility, innovation and adaptability.
Selman also warned about the ethical dimensions of technological advancement, describing modern technology as “a tree of good and evil.” He added: “Skill without integrity is hollow. Our values are fast eroding. We must restore ethical standards if we want a sustainable nation.”
Earlier, the Chancellor of PCU and National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, encouraged the graduates to anchor their lives on faith while striving to make positive contributions to society.
“Your degree is a launch pad, not a landing place. Keep learning, keep growing,” he said.
Five prominent Christian leaders—Apostle Joshua Selman, Pastor Jerry Eze, Pastor Poju Oyemade, Pastor Sola Osunmakinde and Pastor Nathaniel Bassey—were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees for their contributions to spiritual leadership, humanitarian work and national development.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Timothy Adejumo, described the Class of 2025 as “the Trailblazers Set,” praising their resilience and innovative mindset. He announced that all the institution’s academic programmes have secured full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC), reaffirming PCU’s commitment to quality teaching and research.
Also speaking, the Pro-Chancellor, Bishop Dapo Asaju, reiterated the university’s aspiration to become a world-class institution, describing PCU as “a product of divine inspiration for excellence and disruptive innovation.”
The best-graduating student, Eniola Kolawole Lawal of the Computer Science Department, who finished with a CGPA of 4.84, said the day marked a moment of reflection for the graduating class. “This is not the end of our journey. The world awaits our contributions,” he said.
As the ceremony drew to a close, Selman charged the graduates to step out as solution providers. “You are entering a world full of possibilities and complexities. The challenge is not just to make a living but to make a difference,” he said.
The convocation ended with a reminder for graduates to keep learning, unlearning and re-learning—skills regarded as essential for thriving in the 21st century.