The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is set to celebrate its 55th Convocation Ceremonies, which will run from Monday, January 13, to Friday, January 17, 2025, with a total of 16,409 students graduating across various undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
At a pre-convocation press conference held on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, revealed the breakdown of graduates and announced several landmark achievements for the year.
Convocation Statistics and Top Performers
According to the Vice-Chancellor, this year’s graduates include:
- 9,684 undergraduate and diploma students.
- 6,659 postgraduate students.
- 66 graduates from the UNILAG Business School (ULBS).
Among the undergraduate category:
- 561 students earned First-Class Degrees or Distinctions.
- 3,916 students achieved Second-Class Upper Degrees.
- 3,763 students were awarded Second-Class Lower Degrees.
Notable graduating students include Damilare Haroun Adebakin and Samuel Akinade Badekale of the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, who both achieved a perfect 5.0 CGPA, and Olamide Idris Emida of the Department of Accounting, who emerged as the Best Graduating Student in Humanities with a 4.95 CGPA.
Postgraduate Excellence
The overall best Ph.D. thesis award was given to Adetoun Alaba Akintoye for her work in Chemistry, while Eniola Niniola Ladipo received recognition for the Best Ph.D. Thesis in Humanities.
Highlights of the Convocation Ceremonies
The convocation activities will kick off on Friday, January 10, 2025, with a Special Jumat Service at the UNILAG Central Mosque. Other key events include:
- Project Commissioning and Convocation Lecture (Monday, January 13, 2025):
- Opening of the Exhibition at the Senate Car Park.
- Commissioning of new facilities by Pro-Chancellor Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, including:
- Centre for Herbal Medicine and Drug Recovery.
- 120-bed extension of Moremi Hall.
- Ultra-modern Learning Commons, an extension of the University Main Library.
- Convocation lecture titled: “Universities as Hubs for Development and Wealth Creation” delivered by Dr. Tayo Aduloju, CEO of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, under the chairmanship of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, CON.
- Award of Degrees (Tuesday, January 14 – Thursday, January 16, 2025):
- Undergraduate awards for various faculties, followed by postgraduate degrees and honorary awards.
- Honorary Doctorate Degrees will be conferred on:
- Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization.
- Mr. Kola Adesina, Managing Director of Sahara Group.
- Mr. Fola Adeola, Co-Founder of Guaranty Trust Bank.
- Closing Events (Friday, January 17, 2025):
- Long Service Award Ceremony at the Tolu Odugbemi Hall.
- Convocation play titled Langbodo by Wale Ogunyemi at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium.
- Thanksgiving Service (Sunday, January 19, 2025):
- Thanksgiving at the Chapel of Christ Our Light, UNILAG Akoka.
UNILAG’s 2024 Achievements
Prof. Ogunsola highlighted some of UNILAG’s accomplishments, including:
- Hosting the MED-AFRICA Good Manufacturing Practice Laboratory, one of only three in Africa.
- Launch of the Green Air Initiative and electric buses.
- Groundbreaking of the AI-themed UNILAG-UNIPOD Project.
- Signing partnerships with 14 universities across Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
- Upgrades to hostel facilities, the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, and campus infrastructure.
Conclusion
The 55th Convocation Ceremonies celebrate not only the achievements of 16,409 graduates but also UNILAG’s continued strides in academic excellence and innovation. The Vice-Chancellor acknowledged the contributions of alumni and stakeholders, urging continued support to sustain the university’s reputation as a leading institution in Nigeria and globally.
For more details, visit the official UNILAG website or follow the live events online.