For the first time in its history, the Department of Statistics, University of Lagos (UNILAG) opened its doors to the scholars it has produced, hosting a three-day Alumni Homecoming from Tuesday, July 28 to Thursday, July 30, 2026, under the theme “A Statistical Reunion: Strengthening Bonds, Sharing Success.
Held in the Board Room at the Science Complex, the historic gathering marked a defining moment in the department’s journey, bringing together graduates, faculty, and students for a landmark reunion.
Awareness Rally Takes the Message across Campus. The homecoming opened on a high-energy note with a campus-wide awareness rally. Alumni and students marched through campus carrying placards and banners, placing the reunion firmly on the university community’s radar.
The rally proved an effective opening statement, carrying the homecoming’s message beyond the Department of Statistics to reach members of the University community and passers-by across campus, and building visible momentum and anticipation ahead of the two days of activities to follow.
Lectures, Talks, and Networking Take Centre Stage.
The program’s centrepiece unfolded with a full day of lectures, career talks, and networking that brought the department’s students, alumni, and university leadership into direct engagement.
Addressing the gathering on behalf of the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, the Dean of the Faculty of Physical and Earth Sciences, Professor Olayinka Asekun, commended the department for being the first within the faculty to organise an alumni homecoming.
Highlighting the Department’s track record of scholarship and industry impact, she issued a passionate call to action: “This is not just a gathering; this is a call to action so that we can bridge the gap to support the department and, at last, support the university.”
Following the Vice-Chancellor’s representative, the Head of the Department of Statistics, Professor Bridget Nkemnole, expressed her delight at hosting the department’s first-ever alumni homecoming, describing it as the beginning of a new tradition.
She explained that the initiative was conceived to reconnect the department with its alumni, encourage them to contribute meaningfully to national development, and reinforce the place of statistics as an indispensable tool for sustainable development.
Professor Nkemnole also highlighted several future initiatives the department hopes to pursue through the alumni network, adding that insights and resolutions from the lectures and interactive sessions would not only strengthen the department but also be applied to benefit the University of Lagos community and contribute to national development.
The day’s keynote address was centered on the insights of Dr. Godday Ebuh, President of the Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria (CISON), Deputy Director at the Central Bank of Nigeria, and a scholar ranked among the top 19 percent of economists in Africa on the IDEAS/RePEc index. Delivered on his behalf by CISON Registrar, Mrs. Ngozi Agboegbulem, the presentation set an inspiring tone for the attendees.
Speaking on “Professionalism, Innovation, and National Development,” CISON’s growth was traced from its founding in 1976 as the Nigerian Statistical Association to its chartered status under the 2022 CISON Establishment Act. He stressed that continuous learning and formal registration give the profession its credibility, warning that unequipped practitioners risk becoming obsolete.
Unveiling a 14-point transformation agenda, Dr Ebuh outlined plans for a restructured three-tier certification program, curriculum reform, a West African statistical training laboratory, national student competitions, and media advocacy for data literacy. Tying statistics directly to nation-building through demographic planning, inflation tracking, and census data, he challenged alumni to mentor students and advocate for data-driven decisions. He closed with a stark reminder: “The future of Nigeria will be statistical, or Nigeria will have no future.”
The momentum continued as Mrs Tomi Ajayi, a chartered accountant and General Manager of Finance and Operations at Harley Reed Nigeria, delivered a paper titled “Leveraging Your Statistical Knowledge.”
Drawing on her own path from a UNILAG mathematics degree to the C-suite executive, she urged students and young alumni to see themselves as strategic advisors rather than statisticians alone, stressing that “value lies in translating data into language executives can act on”.
She urged students to step up as strategic advisors by mastering executive communication. “You have to be able to speak a language that executives understand,” she emphasised.
Following a brief networking break, the third speaker of the day, Prof. Elisa Olusanya Olubusoye, Professor of Statistics and Director of the Directorate of Quality Assurance at the University of Ibadan, addressed the department directly on alumni relations, highlighting how graduates are a department’s ultimate asset.
Addressing the department’s transition from the joint mathematics and statistics program to a standalone department, he outlined five pillars for sustaining engagement: training quality, graduate employability, curriculum relevance, lifelong communication, and strong internship pathways.
Professor Muibi Olufemi Saibu, Professor of Development Economics and Director of Quality Assurance and Servicom Unit at UNILAG, spoke next on the relevance of statistics to national development. He delivered a thought-provoking talk on statistics and national development, arguing that national policies often fail because they rely on imported frameworks rather than local data and assumptions. Urging statisticians to take ownership of how figures are applied in public policy, Professor Saibu noted, “Statistics is not just a course of study; it is not just a number; it is the backbone of any nation.”
Rounding out the core presentations, the fifth speaker, Professor Ismaila Adedeji Adeleke, focused on the central theme of statistical reunion, highlighting career growth and the imperative for graduates to maintain active, mutually beneficial ties with their alma mater.
Using examples of alumni endowing buildings in other departments, he urged the faculty to view its graduates as its primary asset, the value of which depends on student satisfaction before graduation. Recognising that the department’s evolution from a combined Mathematics and Statistics program spans three distinct alumni cohorts, Professor Adeleke stressed that uniting these generations requires deliberate effort anchored on five pillars: training quality, graduate employability, curriculum relevance, lifelong engagement, and strong internship pipelines. “I want you to consider your graduates as your assets,” he stated simply.
Interactive Dialogues and the Mentorship Initiative
The plenary sessions segued into an interactive Q&A where students actively engaged visiting alumni on real-world data application, corporate expectations, and internship opportunities. Notably, a volunteer stepped forward to build an online platform connecting students with alumni.
Addressing student career paths ahead of the closing, the Local Organising Committee Chair and Alumni Coordinator, Dr Eno Akarawak, highlighted the department’s “pick-a-mentor/mentee” initiative. Noting that many students arrive without initially choosing statistics as their first choice, she invited industry alumni to mentor undergraduates and offer internship opportunities to guide their professional growth.
Through this historic, first-ever homecoming, the Department of Statistics successfully re-anchored its relationship with its graduates, demonstrating that active alumni engagement is essential to driving academic excellence and shaping globally competitive scholars.
Report: Lynda Onah
Photographs: Samuel Dosunmu/ Olawale Fagbulu and Lawrence Opeyemi Oyebanji (Intern)
