The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing ahead of the ceremony scheduled to hold from Wednesday, October 21, to Friday, October 23.
Egbewole said 11,213 graduands would receive first degrees, comprising 365 first-class graduates, 4,367 in the second-class upper division, 5,102 in the second-class lower division, 1,006 in the third class and 30 pass-degree recipients.
He added that the graduating students included 19 in Medicine and Surgery, 89 in Nursing, 73 in Pharmacy, 41 in Optometry, 89 in Physiotherapy and 32 in Veterinary Medicine.
The Vice-Chancellor said 4,939 graduands would receive higher degrees and diplomas, including 160 postgraduate diploma recipients, 901 master’s degree graduates, 114 professional master’s degree recipients, two Master of Philosophy graduates and 251 doctorate degree recipients.
He also disclosed that 3,511 students would graduate through the university’s Centre for Affiliated Institutions.
Beyond conventional academic qualifications, Egbewole said 8,320 students had completed the university’s U-INSPIRE initiative, which equips participants with 21st-century skills through partnerships with 10 industry partners.
He described the figures as a reflection of the institution’s commitment to academic excellence, professional training, research, innovation and the development of skilled graduates for national and global advancement.
Reflecting on his administration, which began on October 16, 2022, the Vice-Chancellor said the convocation offered an opportunity to assess the university’s progress and consider the legacy to be handed over to his successor.
“When I assumed office as Vice-Chancellor on 16 October 2022, my first convocation ceremony was for both the 37th and 38th. I came into office with a clear commitment: to build on the strong foundations laid by my predecessors, preserve the University’s defining strengths, and move the institution forward with renewed ambition,” he said.
He added that his administration had recorded progress in digital infrastructure, staff and student welfare, research, teaching and learning, campus facilities and external partnerships, while sustaining the university’s tradition of stability and peaceful coexistence.
Egbewole said the institution remained committed to its Vision 1:10:500 ambition of becoming Nigeria’s number one university, ranking among Africa’s top 10 and securing a place among the world’s top 500 universities.
“The 41st Convocation is therefore both a celebration and a moment of reflection. It gives us an opportunity to recognise what we have accomplished, acknowledge the people whose work made it possible, and identify the foundations on which we can build the next phase of progress,” he said.
On the convocation programme, Egbewole announced that Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr Haja Ramatulai Wurie, would deliver the convocation lecture titled From Lecture Hall to Cabinet Room: The Journey from Academia to Public Leadership on Friday, October 23, at 9am.
He said the university’s convocation opera, The Death of the Crown’s Escort, would be staged at the Performing and Film Arts Theatre on Tuesday, October 20, with performances scheduled for 4pm and 6pm.
According to him, graduands from four-year programmes would receive their degrees on Wednesday, October 21, and Thursday, October 22, while those from five-year and six-year programmes would be presented with their degrees on Friday, October 23.
The Vice-Chancellor also said President Bola Tinubu, the university’s Visitor, was expected to commission completed projects on campus at 2.30pm on Friday.
A convocation luncheon and merit awards for deserving members of staff would follow at the university’s Multipurpose Hall at 4.30pm.
The activities began with a special Jumat service on Friday, October 16, and an interdenominational church service on Sunday, October 18. They are scheduled to end with a thanksgiving service at St Thomas Aquinas Chaplaincy on Sunday, October 25.