The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Lagos, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, on Thursday, January 22, 2026, made a bold commitment to reawaken the waning spirit of academic excellence among male students, as the University awarded postgraduate degrees to 5,922 graduands on Day Three of the 56th Convocation Ceremonies.
Delivering his convocation address, Chief Olanipekun expressed concern over the declining academic performance of male students in recent years, even as he praised the consistently impressive showing of female students across programmes. In a decisive move aimed at reversing the trend, he announced his resolve to institute a ₦500,000 cash award for the Best Graduating Male Student, beginning from the 57th Convocation Ceremonies.
The announcement, delivered amid applause, underscored the University’s resolve to promote balanced excellence and sustain its culture of merit-driven recognition.
… Raises Alarm over “Social Media Banditry”
In another critical segment of his Convocation Address, Chief Olanipekun turned attention to the growing menace of cyberbullying and digital misconduct in Nigeria.
He lamented what he described as the unchecked abuse of social media platforms, where misinformation, character assassination, falsehood, and cyber harassment have become disturbingly commonplace. He branded the phenomenon “social media banditry” and warned of its corrosive effects on individuals and national cohesion.
Calling for urgent action, the Pro-Chancellor urged the Federal Government to fully enforce the provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, while also charging security agencies, including the DSS and the Nigeria Police, to intensify efforts to protect citizens from cyber-enabled crimes.
Praise for Tinubu, Alausa, and ASUU
Chief Olanipekun also poured encomiums on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, whom he credited with providing what he called a “Magna Carta for the tertiary education sector.”
According to him, the new policy direction has positively altered the trajectory of higher education and is steadily drawing Nigeria closer to its “Canaanland.”
He extended similar commendation to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), describing the union as “cooperative – so far, so good,” while urging both the Federal Government and ASUU to remain faithful to the full implementation of their recently signed agreement.
5,922 Graduands, Two Sessions, One Historic Day
Spread across Morning and Afternoon Sessions, Day Three was devoted entirely to postgraduate education.
In the Morning Session, the University conferred Postgraduate Diplomas(PGD) and Master’s degrees on 5,775 graduands from the School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS) and the University of Lagos Business School (ULBS).
The Afternoon Session saw the crowning moment for advanced scholarship, with the award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degrees to 147 graduands.
Perfect Scores, Royal Excellence, and Academic Prizes
Academic excellence took a proud bow during the Morning Session as prizes were awarded to Master’s graduands who distinguished themselves in specific disciplines.
Graduands who completed their programmes with a perfect CGPA of 5.0 were specially invited to the podium for honourable mention, drawing warm applause from the audience and underscoring the University’s enduring commitment to excellence.
A colorful moment in the Morning Session, with a touch of royalty, was when the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, disclosed in her address that the Olofin of Isheri, Oba (Engr.) Sulaiman Adekunle Bamgbade (Ayodele III), was graduating with a Master’s degree in Systems Engineering – a telling example of knowledge-driven leadership.
Stars of the Afternoon: Best Doctorate Theses and a Lifelong Learner
The Afternoon Session glittered with moments of individual distinction.
Dr. Haruna Egbunu Abubakar, of the Civil and Environmental Engineering (Structures Option), emerged the standout scholar of the day, clinching both the Best PhD Thesis in the Sciences and the Overall Best PhD Thesis, a feat that drew prolonged ovation.
Other top honours went to:
- Dr. Beatrice Paul Zuhumhen (Educational Psychology), Best PhD Thesis in the Humanities.
- Dr. Oyeyemi Idowu Adebamowo (Business Administration), Best DBA Thesis, University of Lagos Business School (ULBS).
The President-Worldwide of the University of Lagos Alumni Associaton, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, was on hand to reward the doctorate stars with the sum of five hundred thousand naira each and a commemorative plaque.
Just as the Morning Session lit up with royal excellence, the Vice-Chancellor’s announcement of a 79-year-old graduand, Elder Hamid Taju, as bagging a PhD in French, threw the auditorium into visible excitement and appreciation for a lifelong learner who demonstrated the truism that “where there is a will, there is a way”. He holds the distinction of the Oldest Graduand of the 56th Convocation Ceremonies of the University of Lagos.
Honouring Giants: Honorary Degrees and Special Recognitions
The ceremony also featured the conferment of honorary and special academic recognitions on eminent Nigerians and scholars:
- Chief Kanu Godwin Agabi, CON, SAN – Honorary Doctorate
- Mr. Jubril Adewale Tinubu, CON – Honorary Doctorate
- Professor James Dele Olowokudejo – Emeritus Professor
- Professor Duro Oni – Emeritus Professor
- Professor Akinsanya Olayide Osibogun – Distinguished Professor
- Professor Ayoka Mopelola Olusakin – Gold Medalist
- Dr. (Mrs) Taiwo Folasade Ipaye, FNIM – Gold Medalist
“Hold on to Hope” and “Dare to Fail”: Voices of the Honorees
Speaking on behalf of the honorary awardees, Chief Kanu Agabi reflected on the centrality of Hope for individuals and for the nation. He celebrated the vibrancy of the Convocation Ceremonies and charged the new doctorate holders to carry their learning beyond the walls of the University and into society for visible impact.
For Mr. Jubril Tinubu, the message was one of audacity. Describing himself as “a professional failure,” he encouraged the PhD and DBA graduands not to fear failure but to embrace bold ambition.
“Ninety percent of the efforts I have made ended up as failures, but the ten percent of my wins more than compensated for the losses,” he said, to resounding applause.
“Professor Ogunsola is the Best Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria”
Delivering the final address of the day in his dual capacity as Minister of Education and representative of the President as Visitor to the University, Dr. Tunji Alausa praised the leadership of the University, singling out the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS.
He described her as “literally the best Vice-Chancellor in this country,” urging other Vice-Chancellors nationwide to emulate her leadership example.
He reaffirmed the Tinubu Administration’s resolve to reposition education as the backbone of national development, declaring: “No nation can rise beyond the quality of its human capital.”
The Minister outlined several flagship interventions, including TETFund, TISSF, Student Venture Capital Grant (SVCG), and the newly signed FG-ASUU Agreement, which provides a 40% increment in academics’ monthly remuneration.
He also assured Nigerians that the President remains committed to ensuring that four-year programmes are completed in four years – and not a day longer.
Addressing the doctorate graduands directly, he challenged them to think beyond employment:
“Do not be job seekers; be job creators. You are here to acquire functional education, to be innovators and value creators.”
Colour of Royal Presence
Presiding over the ceremonies in his capacity as Chancellor of the University of Lagos was the Shehu of Borno, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, adding regal gravitas to a day already rich in significance. Representatives of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu – two White Cap Chiefs and a Royal Staff Bearer – were also on ground to add the colour of royalty to the day.
UNILAG: A Strategic National Asset
As the curtain fell on Day Three of the 56th Convocation Ceremonies, one truth stood unmistakably clear: the University of Lagos is not merely graduating students; it is forging the human capital upon which Nigeria’s future must rest.
From the celebration of scholarly excellence to the courage to interrogate national challenges, whether in the digital public square, gendered academic outcomes, or the reform of tertiary education, UNILAG once again demonstrated its role as a thinking institution for an aspiring nation. The calibre of its doctorate and master’s graduates, the intellectual depth of its research output, and the clarity of purpose echoed in its leadership conversations all point to a university consciously aligned with national progress.
In an era when nations rise or fall on the strength of their ideas, innovation, and human capacity, the University of Lagos stands as a strategic asset to Nigeria, a veritable factory of knowledge, character, and competence. Here, scholars are not only trained to earn degrees but are equipped to solve problems, create value, and lead with conscience.
As Nigeria presses forward in its quest for economic renewal, social cohesion, and global relevance, institutions like UNILAG remain indispensable. The University’s consistent production of high-quality human capital affirms its place at the heart of the nation’s development journey: not as a spectator, but as a driver.
Indeed, if Nigeria is to attain its fullest potential, the path will be lit in no small measure by the minds nurtured, refined, and released from the hallowed halls of the University of Lagos.
Report: Isaiah Kumuyi & Adebayo Salau
Photography: Ayo, Oloyede, Oluwatobi Gisanri, and Idara Iwok
