Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), is preparing to celebrate three distinguished Nigerians during its upcoming 16th convocation ceremony.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, announced that out of 1,841 graduating students, 229 will be awarded first-class honors.
Prof. Olarinde revealed that the institution will bestow honorary degrees on three notable individuals at the convocation’s grand event scheduled for Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
The honorees include Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, a prominent legal expert and former 20th President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), who will receive a Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa; Dr. Abike Dabiri, Chairman and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), also awarded a Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa; and business leader Princess (Dr.) Mrs. Rosemary Osula Mku-Atu.
According to the Vice Chancellor, the selection of these individuals is grounded in their unwavering integrity, exemplary character, and significant lifelong contributions to society across various fields.
Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) is slated to deliver the convocation lecture titled “Nigeria-Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow; The Imperative of a Sober and Definitive Recalibration” on Monday, October 20.
Since its inaugural convocation in October 2013, ABUAD has graduated a total of 15,115 students. This year, 1,841 candidates will officially receive their degrees during the ceremony.
Among the graduates, 229 earned First Class honors, 625 secured Second Class Upper, 262 achieved Second Class Lower, 194 completed Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees, and 10 were awarded Bachelor of Optometry degrees.
Prof. Olarinde also urged government authorities to prioritize the urgent repair of the Ado-Ijan-Ikare Federal Road, a critical access route to the university that remains in poor condition.
“I reiterate my appeal from last year for the immediate rehabilitation and reconstruction of this road. It is a vital artery connecting ABUAD, which hosts students from all 36 states and international locations, to the airport, Ondo State, and Abuja,” she emphasized.
Additionally, the Vice Chancellor congratulated the Ekiti State government on securing NCAA approval for scheduled commercial flights at the state’s cargo airport and encouraged swift action to ensure the commencement of full commercial operations without delay.
