The University of Ilorin, UNILORIN, is set to confer degrees and other academic qualifications on 16,152 graduands during its 41st convocation ceremony for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing ahead of the ceremony scheduled to run from Wednesday, October 21, to Friday, October 23.
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Of the total number, 365 students will graduate with first-class honours, while 11,213 students will receive first degrees.
The first-degree category also includes 4,367 students who earned second-class upper division, 5,102 second-class lower division, 1,006 third-class and 30 pass degrees.
The graduating class also features students from professional programmes, including 19 Medicine and Surgery graduates, 89 Nursing graduates, 73 Pharmacy graduates, 41 Optometry graduates, 89 Physiotherapy graduates and 32 Veterinary Medicine graduates.
Egbewole said another 4,939 graduands would receive higher degrees and diplomas.
They comprise 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.
A further 3,511 students will graduate through the university’s Centre for Affiliated Institutions.
The Vice-Chancellor also disclosed that 8,320 students had completed the university’s U-INSPIRE initiative, which equips participants with 21st-century skills alongside their primary qualifications through partnerships with 10 industry partners.
Egbewole said the figures reflected the university’s commitment to academic excellence, professional training, research, innovation and the development of graduates equipped to contribute to national and global development.
Reflecting on his administration, Egbewole said the 41st convocation offered an opportunity to assess the university’s progress since he assumed office on October 16, 2022.
He said his administration had focused on building on the achievements of previous administrations while strengthening the university’s academic and institutional capacity.
“Four years on, as we prepare for the 41st Convocation, I do so with gratitude to Almighty Allah and a deep sense of fulfilment,” he said.
Egbewole said the institution had maintained its tradition of stability, academic excellence and peace while recording improvements in digital infrastructure, staff and student welfare, research, teaching and learning, campus facilities and external partnerships.
He added that the university’s development strategy remained anchored on 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 university’s convocation lecture, titled From Lecture Hall to Cabinet Room: The Journey from Academia to Public Leadership, will be delivered by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr Haja Ramatulai Wurie, on Friday, October 23, at 9am.
UNILORIN will also stage its convocation opera, The Death of the Crown’s Escort, at the Performing and Film Arts Theatre on Tuesday, October 20, with performances scheduled for 4pm and 6pm.
Graduands from four-year programmes will receive their degrees on Wednesday and Thursday, while those from five-year and six-year programmes will be presented with their degrees on Friday.
Egbewole further disclosed that President Bola Tinubu, the university’s Visitor, was expected to commission completed projects on campus at 2.30pm on Friday.
The day will also feature a convocation luncheon and merit awards for deserving members of staff at the university’s Multipurpose Hall.
The convocation activities began with a special Jumat service on Friday, October 16, followed by an interdenominational church service on Sunday, October 18.
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The programme will conclude with a thanksgiving service at St Thomas Aquinas Chaplaincy on Sunday, October 25.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
