The University of Ibadan (UI) has announced that 448 out of 5,900 graduating students from the 2024/2025 academic session achieved First Class degrees across various disciplines.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale, made the disclosure on Tuesday on the first day of the university’s convocation ceremony held in Ibadan. The event covered graduates from the Faculties of Arts, Science, Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Public Health, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Congratulating the graduating students, Adebowale commended their achievement as a testament to discipline, hard work, and perseverance, stressing that the university had equipped them to face global challenges with competence, character, and creativity.
“The University of Ibadan has trained you to seize future opportunities with confidence and integrity. Your achievement today is not only a personal victory but also a reflection of the standards of excellence this institution stands for,” he said.
Adebowale reaffirmed UI’s position as Nigeria’s premier university and one of Africa’s most prestigious institutions, highlighting its role in advancing innovation and academic excellence. He noted that UI’s Postgraduate College remains the largest in Africa, producing high-level manpower for national and global development.
He also pointed to the newly established Faculty of Computing as evidence of the university’s commitment to technological advancement and digital transformation.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s economic and infrastructural challenges, Adebowale praised the resilience and creativity of the nation’s scholars, adding that innovation continues to drive UI’s progress and sustain its leadership in higher education.
The Vice Chancellor also celebrated the recent international recognition earned by UI’s staff and students through research fellowships, global competitions, and academic collaborations, describing them as proof of the university’s relevance in the modern knowledge economy.
Delivering the keynote address, UK-based medical practitioner and UI alumnus, Dr Abel Adegoke, urged the graduates to embrace resilience, integrity, and service, advising them to view challenges as opportunities for growth.
“True growth does not come from comfort. Go into the world not as job seekers but as solution creators. The world awaits the light of your brilliance,” Adegoke said.
One of the graduates, Ayodeji Adeyemi of the Department of European Studies (French Unit), expressed gratitude for the opportunities UI had opened, noting that the institution’s reputation had helped him secure a placement with the ECOWAS Commission.
“The name has made room for me,” Adeyemi remarked.
