Professor Amidu Sanni, the Vice-Chancellor, Fountain University, Osogbo has described the graduates of the citadel of learning as being certified worthy of learning and character.

The university was established and owned by the Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) – a Nigerian Muslim prayer group with a focus on youth, women and the elites.

The Vice-Chancellor, who played host to the South West Group of Online Publishers (SWEGOP) at his office in Oke Osun, Osogbo, last Wednesday, also informed that the institution has continued to enjoy a stable academic calendar at all times.

“Once students were admitted, they already know when they will graduate due to the stable academic calendar. We don’t waste time, we have a stable calendar, no staff strike, no students’ strike, no cultism.

“We prepare the students not only for academics, but it is also both in character and learning. Character comes before learning. Character is the key thing. The character will sustain them even after graduation. Our students imbibe the character of good behaviour”, he added.

Sanni noted that emphasis had shifted from white-collar jobs to self-employment, stressing that attention had also been shifted toward institutions that prepare graduates to be job providers and not mere job seekers.

According to the professor of African and Middle Eastern Studies, courses studied at the institution, including the vocational training and entrepreneurship skills the students acquired would make them self-reliant, and job creators, which is why, Fountain University, which he heads, prides itself in raising balanced people.

“The way things are going, the people may not necessarily work with their degree because you might have studied marketing and end up being a fantastic event planner. So, we are trying as much as possible to develop skills outside the area of study. In Osogbo, we have what is called Industrial Centre. We have skills in ceramic, fabrication and several others.

“You could be studying law and be good in creative writing or a good rapper. We are trying to help our students to identify their potential for them to be career makers rather than being job seekers”, the varsity Don explained.

Sanni, who is also a Chief Imam, said despite that Fountain University is a privately owned Islamic faith-based institution, it has maintained a very high religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence across levels, as Christians and Muslims, both staff and students irrespective of religion, tribe are living together without rancour.

He said, “We don’t hide our religious identity, no apologies. Your belief is your personal matter and you should always be able to accommodate people on what they can offer you and not of their conviction. As I am talking to you, the head of our security unit in this University is a Christian, and the Dean of our Post Graduate school is a Christian, he was the one who gave the inaugural lecture two weeks ago which was on the 11th of this month. The head of our technical/works is also a Christian, he was a pioneer staff member of this University.

“We allow Christian students to go for church services of their choice on Sundays which we monitor. Because, once they are here, they are under our custody. So, we allow them to practice. We also allow our Muslims to practice.

“Many parents are scared of the incidences of cultism and Yahoo Yahoo things. All our students here are residents, we accommodate all of them. They can’t just go out anyhow. If there is any reason for them to go out, we treat them not like Secondary School Students but we monitor them very closely”, the VC submitted.