By Ade Oyeyemi
Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, is set to graduate 1,043 students, including 83 first-class degree holders, at its 17th convocation ceremony scheduled for Friday, October 23, 2026.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olasebikan Fakolujo, announced the figures on Monday while unveiling plans for the ceremony and activities marking the institution’s 20th anniversary.
According to Fakolujo, the graduating class comprises 897 undergraduate students and 146 postgraduate students.
He explained that 429 undergraduates obtained second-class upper degrees, while 301 earned second-class lower honours. Another 74 students graduated with third-class degrees, while 10 obtained pass degrees.
At the postgraduate level, the university will confer 22 doctoral degrees, 94 academic master’s degrees, 27 Master of Business Administration degrees and three postgraduate diplomas.
Reflecting on the institution’s growth, Fakolujo said JABU had awarded 10,448 undergraduate degrees since it began academic activities in February 2007 with an initial student population of 246.
He said the cumulative undergraduate figures included 426 first-class graduates, 3,730 second-class upper degree holders, 4,928 second-class lower graduates, 1,336 third-class graduates and 28 recipients of pass degrees.
The vice-chancellor added that the university had also produced more than 800 postgraduate degree and qualification holders, contributing to the development of professionals and researchers in different fields.
He noted that JABU alumni were making contributions to national development across business, academia, research, public service, technology and finance.
Fakolujo also highlighted the performance of students in professional examinations, describing their results as a reflection of the university’s emphasis on academic standards and practical training.
He disclosed that students of Medical Laboratory Science achieved a 100 per cent pass rate in their 2026 professional examinations for the third consecutive year.
Nursing Science students also recorded a 100 per cent success rate in the 2026 registered midwife professional examination, he said.
The vice-chancellor further said the university’s law graduates had continued to distinguish themselves at the Nigerian Law School.
He described performance in external professional examinations as an important indicator of the institution’s ability to prepare students for careers beyond the classroom.
The convocation ceremony will be held alongside activities marking JABU’s 20th anniversary, with a book launch and a convocation lecture among the events scheduled for the celebration.
