The co-founder of Dukiya Investments, Lukman Shobowale, has joined eminent Nigerians as ambassadors of the University of Ilorin.

Shobowale joined the over 65 awardees during one of the programmes scheduled to commemorate the institution’s Golden Jubilee.

The landmark event, tagged ‘Investiture Ceremony of UNILORIN Ambassadors, Distinguished Alumni, and Award of Excellence’, was held at the university auditorium last week.

Before the event, a statement by the university’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Kunle Akogun, quoted the Chairman, Awards Planning Committee, Professor AbdulRasheed Adeoye, as saying that “the ceremony will celebrate alumni and individuals who have excelled in their various fields, enhanced the image and reputation of our University, and have contributed meaningfully to its growth and development.”

The statement added that “specifically, one alumnus and another distinguished Nigerian will receive the Award of Excellence, 10 will be honoured as Distinguished Alumni, while 50 individuals and three graduating sets will be invested as UNILORIN Ambassadors.”

According to the Committee Chairman, “This ceremony is not only a recognition of the achievements of our distinguished honourees but also a moment of reflection and pride for us all as members of the UNILORIN family.”

Among those to be honoured are the 8th Vice Chancellor of the University and Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Emeritus Is’haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, CON; Dr. Tunji Olowolafe; Dr. Adeyemi Murtadha Adeniji; the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Professor Temidayo Oladiji; former Managing Director of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd., Mr. Babatunde Omotowa; prominent accountant, Dr. AWA Ibrahim; former CBN Deputy Governor, Dr. Sarah Omotunde Alade; the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Services, Mrs. Kemi Nanna Nandap; and the Managing Director of Thisday Newspapers, Mr. Eniola Bello.

Also to be honoured are the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Abdulrasheed Na’Allah; the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi; Professor David Durosomo; and Justice Asmau Tanwa Akanbi, among others.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, was the Chief Host of the occasion, while eminent legal luminary and Professor of Practice, Mallam Olaolu Ali, SAN, delivered the keynote address at the event.

Speaking on the award, Shobowale expressed his gratitude to the management of his institution, where he graduated from in 2017 as the Student Union President.

“It is an incredible honour to receive this ambassadorial award from the University of Ilorin, the institution that not only educated me but shaped my values and leadership journey. Serving as the Student Union President during the 2016/2017 academic session was a defining chapter in my life. It taught me the power of advocacy, responsibility, and service to others. Today’s recognition is a reminder that those experiences were not in vain, and I’m deeply humbled to be celebrated by the very community that moulded me.

“I sincerely appreciate the university management, especially the Vice-Chancellor and the award committee, for this remarkable honour. UNILORIN has always stood for excellence and character, and I am proud to be a product of such a forward-thinking and principled institution. This award is not just for me, it is for every student leader, every dreamer, and every Unilorite striving to make a difference beyond the walls of the campus.”

“As a proud ambassador of this great institution, I am more committed than ever to representing UNILORIN with integrity and purpose in all that I do. I look forward to giving back in meaningful ways through mentorship, partnerships, and opportunities that inspire the next generation. This honour fuels my passion to continue building, impacting, and lifting others, just as this university did for me,” he added.