ABUAD’s 13th Convocation: Olanipekun, Two Others Bag Honorary Degrees

ABUAD’s 13th Convocation: Olanipekun, Two Others Bag Honorary Degrees

Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) recently held its 13th Convocation Ceremony, a grand event that also marked the institution’s 16th Founder’s Day anniversary.

The celebration was highlighted by the conferment of honorary degrees on three distinguished Nigerians for their exceptional contributions to national development and service to humanity. 

Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), former Chairman of the Body of Benchers, received an honorary Doctor of Laws. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and business mogul Mrs. Rosemary Mku-Atu were each awarded the Doctor of Letters.

The convocation was attended by notable dignitaries, including the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who was represented by Professor Olukayode Adebowale. In his address, Alausa praised ABUAD as a beacon of hope and a model for private university education in Nigeria and across Africa. He commended the university’s founder, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), for his unwavering commitment to excellence in education and nation-building. 

Alausa highlighted ABUAD’s consistent record of uninterrupted academic sessions, quality teaching, and global partnerships, noting that these achievements reflect the discipline and innovation needed to revitalize Nigeria’s education sector. He also celebrated the university’s impressive performance in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, where it has consistently ranked among the top 100 universities globally and number one in Nigeria for four consecutive years.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Smaranda Olarinde announced that a total of 1,841 students graduated across various colleges. Among them, 229 earned First Class honors, 625 graduated with Second Class Upper, 262 with Second Class Lower, and 33 with Third Class degrees. 

The breakdown of First Class graduates included 52 from Engineering, 58 from Law, 33 from Medical and Health Sciences, 37 from Sciences, 35 from Social and Management Sciences, one from Open and Distance Learning, and 13 from Part-Time programs.

Notably, the university also celebrated the graduation of its pioneer cohort of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) students, with 25 earning distinctions.

During the ceremony, Aare Afe Babalola urged the graduating students to uphold the university’s core values of integrity, discipline, and innovation, encouraging them to be worthy ambassadors of ABUAD.

A particularly memorable moment was the recognition of Iradat Sanya as the overall best graduating student. In honor of her outstanding academic performance, she was awarded a N10 million cash prize by Sunbeth Global Concept.