Adewumi Ademiju 
…as 229 students bagged First Class
The Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado-Ekiti, on Tuesday, commenced activities to commemorate its convocation ceremony.
No fewer than 229 students will be graduating with First Class Honours at the 13th consecutive convocation ceremonies which signals another milestone in the institution’s uninterrupted academic calendar since establishment.
Legal Icon Chief Wole Olanipekun would receive Doctor of Laws (LL.D, honoris causa), the Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, with Doctor of Letters (D.Litt, honoris causa) and a Business Mogul, Rosemary Mku-Atu, with Doctor of Letters (D.Litt, honoris causa).
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, who stated this at a press conference, said the convocation will witness the graduation of 1,841 students across various departments, comprising 229 First Class, 625 Second Class Upper, 262 Second Class Lower and 33 Third Class degree holders.
Professor Smaranda highlighted the breakdown of the first class students to include 52 from the College of Engineering, 58 from Law, 33 from Medical and Health Sciences (MHS), 37 from Sciences, 35 from Social and Management Sciences (SMS), 1 from Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and 13 from Part Time.
The VC also announced the graduation of the pioneer set of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) degree holders, with 25 students earning distinctions.
Other important aspects of the convocation, according to the VC, included the conferment of Honorary Doctorate Degrees on personalities such as Legal Icon Chief Wole Olanipekun with Doctor of Laws (LL.D, honoris causa), the Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa with Doctor of Letters (D.Litt, honoris causa) and a Business Mogul, Rosemary Mku-Atu with Doctor of Letters (D.Litt, honoris causa).
According to her, the Convocation Lecture will be delivered by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, on October 20 on the topic: “Nigeria Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: The Imperative of a Sober and Definitive Recalibration.”
Speaking further, the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) will induct the graduating Economics students, followed by the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) induction for Computer Science graduates on October 15.
On October 16, the VC emphasized that there will be Medical Laboratory Science induction and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) oath-taking for Engineering graduates, while the International Leadership Conference 2025 (2.0), themed “Shaping Transformational Leaders for a Changing World: Tackling Insecurity, Governance and Development,” will hold on October 17, featuring a lineup of international speakers, alongside the Investiture of graduating Law students as Associate Members of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators.
Her words, “The convocation will witness the graduation of 1,841 students across various departments, comprising 229 First Class, 625 Second Class Upper, 262 Second Class Lower and 33 Third Class degree holders.
“It is worthy of note that this year, we are proud to graduate from the College of Pharmacy, the pioneering set of Dr. of Pharmacy degree holders, out of which 25 obtained distinctions. ABUAD is one of the very few institutions, and perhaps the only private institution, offering the Dr. of Pharmacy degree in Nigeria.
“Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 15, 2025, the University’s Graduating Economics Students will be inducted into the Nigerian Economics Society (NES) at Owolabi Hall at 10:00 am. This will be followed by the induction of the Graduating Students of Computer Science to be conducted by the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) at the same venue by 1:00 pm.
“On Thursday, October 16, 2025, the induction of the Medical Laboratory Science Graduating Students will take place at Owolabi Hall at 9.00 am. The day’s activities will be rounded off with the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) Induction/Oath-taking Ceremony for ABUAD Engineering Graduating Students at Owolabi Hall by 1.00 pm.
“Friday, October 17, 2025, we shall have the International Leadership Conference 2025 (2.0), with the theme: “Shaping Transformational Leaders for a Changing World: Tackling Insecurity, Governance and Development”.
“The Conference, which will feature an array of seasoned international speakers from across the globe, will take place at Alfa Belgore Hall at 9:00 am. This will be followed by the Jumat Service at Owolabi Hall at 1:00 pm. The day’s activities will be rounded off with the Investiture of ABUAD Graduating Law Students as Associate Members of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators at the same venue by 3:00 pm
“On Saturday, October 18, 2025, we will celebrate the 2nd edition of the Annual Aare Afe Babalola Day, which has been declared by the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Aladesanmi III, CON, JP, on behalf of all the sons and daughters of Ado-Ekiti, to honour our Founder. The event will take place at the Ewi’s Palace at 10:00 Α.Μ.
“The celebration is in appreciation of what His Royal Majesty described as Aare’s unalloyed commitment to public service with regard to Law, Education, Health, Community Development, Agriculture and display of generosity to those that might be fortunate to come across him in life.
“On Monday, October 20, 2025, the highly cerebral legal beacon and advocate, Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, OFR, SAN, LL. D, D. Lit, FCI. Arb, FNIALS, will deliver the Convocation Lecture titled: “Nigeria Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, The Imperative of a Sober and Definitive Recalibration” at Alfa Belgore Hall by 10.00 a.m.
“Three eminent and deserving Nigerians will be conferred with the university’s Honorary Degrees during the grand finale of this year’s Convocation, which will be witnessed by the crème-de-la-crème of society, including members of the Bar and the Bench, Legal Academics, the Royalty, the Clergy, Captains of industry and members of the Diplomatic Community.
“In strict compliance with the 2012 Keffi Declaration, the University’s Council and Senate, after a thorough as well as merit-based selection process, approved the nominations of three eminent personalities for the conferment of Honorary Degrees. This is in appreciation of the various ways they have impacted society in different areas of their callings.
“The three recipients of the University’s Honorary Degrees are: a well-rounded Legal Practitioner, Chief Wole Olanipekun, who will be awarded the University’s Honorary Doctor of Laws, LL. D honoris causa, Hon. Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, OON, who will be decorated with Doctor of Letters, D. Lit Honoris Causa and a Business Mogul, Princess (Dr.) Mrs Rosemary Osula Mku-Atu, who will be decorated with the Honourary Degree of Doctor of Letters of Afe Babalola University”, the VC said.
