Lead City Varsity Graduates 290 First Class Students

No fewer than 290 students of Lead City University, Ibadan, graduated with first-class honours at the institution’s 18th convocation ceremony, a milestone that underscored the university’s steady academic growth and rising profile over its 20 years of existence.

A total of 3,379 graduands participated in the ceremony, with 2,162 awarded first degrees and 1,219 conferred with higher degrees across various disciplines during the 2024/2025 academic session.

Olubadan of Ibadan land, His Imperial Majesty Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, commended the university for what he described as “phenomenal development and growth” since its establishment.

The monarch praised the management for its vision and consistency in positioning the institution as a leading private university in Nigeria.

“I must commend the governing council, management, staff and students for the outstanding efforts that have placed Lead City University at the forefront of academic excellence,” Oba Ladoja said.

The Olubadan was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Science in Public Administration (Honoris Causa) in recognition of his contributions to public service and leadership.

Also honoured was a former President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hassan Adebayo Sunmonu, who received the same honorary degree.

Two other distinguished Nigerians, Mr. Olalekan Bello, Chairman of FCSL Asset Management, and Mr. Olakunle Williams, President/Chief Executive Officer of Tetracore Energy Group, were awarded Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) degrees.

Bello described Lead City University as “a citadel of learning whose vision and pursuit of excellence continue to illuminate the educational landscape of Nigeria,” urging the institution to sustain its commitment to innovation and quality teaching.

Chancellor of the university, Prof. Gabriel Ogunmola, said the conferment of honorary degrees on the four recipients was in recognition of their exemplary leadership, professional accomplishments and outstanding service to society.

He noted that the 2024/2025 academic session coincided with the university’s 20th anniversary, marking two decades of achievements in teaching, research and community service.

Delivering the convocation address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Adeyemo, described the ceremony as a celebration of resilience, discipline and intellectual excellence by the graduating students.

According to him, the 2025 convocation reflected “years of dedication, perseverance and academic growth, supported by families, mentors and the entire university community.”

Adeyemo said the series of convocation events spanned several days of academic and cultural activities aimed at celebrating excellence across faculties and reflecting on the institution’s legacy of leadership development and societal impact.

He also disclosed that the university was seeking approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to introduce new academic programmes across multiple faculties, in line with its expansion drive and commitment to meeting national development needs.

On staff development, the Vice-Chancellor revealed that the institution had sponsored 120 academic staff and 23 administrative personnel to attend local and international conferences, workshops and training programmes, as part of efforts to enhance teaching quality and administrative efficiency.

The convocation, he said, reaffirmed Lead City University’s resolve to produce graduates equipped with knowledge, character and skills to contribute meaningfully to national development.