The University of Ibadan has graduated 6,025 students during its 78th convocation ceremony, out of which 509 bagged First Class honours, as the Ivory Tower reaffirmed its resolve to continue to uphold academic excellence.
The new and 14th Vice Chancellor of the Premier University, Professor Peter Olapegba, who disclosed this during the Foundation Day ceremonies of the university’s 2026 convocation for first-degree graduates, said the ceremony also recognised graduates from the its Distance Learning Centre and affiliated institutions, reflecting its expanding reach in providing quality tertiary education.
The Vice Chancellor said the institution which was established in 1942, has grown into a citadel of leaning with over 130 academic departments across 23 faculties and institutes and has a global network of alumni who are making significant impacts across various sectors globally.
Olapegba also highlighted the university’s impressive performance in the 2026 QS and Times Higher Education World University Rankings, stressing the university emerged as the best university in Nigeria and West Africa while it ranked fourth in Africa.
As part of its expansion, the VC revealed that the university’s Senate has approved the establishment of the first Faculty of Physiotherapy in West Africa, after satisfying the National Universities Commission’s requirements.
The VC listed the institution’s research achievements to include international research grants, patents and publications in reputable peer-reviewed journals secured by its academic staff.
Olapegba said many members of staff and students also received prestigious national and international fellowships, awards and appointments in recognition of their outstanding performances and accomplishments across different disciplines.
The VC acknowledged the contributions of the university’s alumni, corporate organisations and philanthropic partners to infrastructural development, noting that their support had facilitated the provision of laboratories, workstations and solar power systems to enhance the teaching, research and learning environment.
While addressing the graduands, Olapegba charged them to deploy the knowledge and character acquired during their academic pursuits to address societal challenges and be good ambassadors of the university.
He congratulated them on their achievements, describing their hard work, perseverance and intellectual rigour as a testament to the university’s enduring tradition of academic excellence.
The Vice Chancellor also encouraged them to uphold the values of excellence, integrity and service, while making meaningful contributions to national development and humanity.
He reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to sustaining its heritage of global standard academic excellence, advancing research and producing graduates equipped to respond to emerging global challenges.
In his convocation address, the Chief Operating Officer, English-Speaking West Africa, Groupe Ethica, Mr Olayemi Oladiran, urged the graduates to set long-term goals and remain focused on achieving their aspirations.
Oladiran, an alumnus of the university, emphasised the importance of recognising one’s potential and cultivating discipline and patience over time as essential ingredients for achieving excellence.
He told the graduates that their experience of navigating challenges within the Nigerian educational environment had equipped them with resilience and an advantage over some of their counterparts who studied abroad.
The Valedictorian, Amoo Ifeoluwa, lauded the institution for being a home for personal development and attainment of her academic feat, charging them “to set out with confidence and shape the world and never allow the fear of the unknown to cause them to shift back and settle for mediocrity.