Lai Mohammed to deliver Achievers varsity convocation lecture as 72 bag first class

Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, has announced key academic milestones as it begins activities for its 15th Convocation and 18th Foundation Day, with 705 graduands set to receive degrees and honours.

Speaking at a pre-convocation briefing on Monday, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, said the ceremonies reflect the institution’s steady rise as one of the country’s most forward-looking private universities, driven by academic excellence, innovation and expanding access to quality education.

Of the 705 graduands, 653 will receive first degrees, with 72 earning First Class honours—one of the university’s best performances.

A total of 318 graduands made Second Class Upper Division, 223 earned Second Class Lower Division, while 40 finished with Third Class. Forty-nine candidates will be awarded postgraduate degrees, comprising eight Postgraduate Diplomas, six MBAs, 36 MSc degrees and one PhD.

A major highlight of the convocation is the lecture to be delivered by former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, titled “Just Don’t Graduate, Innovate.” The lecture will hold on Friday at the Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed Auditorium.

Aremu stated that the university now operates two colleges—the College of Medicine and the newly renamed College of Postgraduate Studies—alongside nine faculties and 11 postgraduate programmes.

He added that more than 1,000 students were matriculated this session, a reflection of growing public confidence in the university’s stable academic calendar and quality training.

The acting VC highlighted notable student achievements, including Oni Favour Oluwafemi, selected among 50 global participants for the Optica Amplify Immersion Programme in the United States, where he presented a machine-learning neonatal imaging research paper.

Another outstanding achiever is Bisola Iluyemi, a First Class Accounting graduand who won the Ondo State Accountant Forum’s Best Final Year Accounting Student Award with a CGPA of 4.87. The Accounting programme also secured ICAN reaccreditation.

He noted that the university’s pioneer Law graduates recorded excellent results at the Nigerian Law School in July 2025, with three students earning First Class honours and eight achieving Second Class Upper Division.

Aremu further disclosed that Achievers University recently signed an MoU with the Federal Ministry of Health for the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, to serve as the clinical training base for its MBBS programme.

An academic building and a medical students’ hostel at the centre are nearing completion and expected to be commissioned early 2026. He described the Central Medical Sciences Laboratory as a national reference facility.

He added that the university has upgraded its ICT infrastructure with expanded Wi-Fi coverage, adoption of Google for Education, automated student processes and a 250-seat CBT centre approved for external examinations.

Reaffirming the institution’s commitment to accessible education, Aremu said 12 programmes remain completely tuition-free, benefiting 319 indigent students, while several others operate with 65–80 per cent subsidised scholarships.

The university will also confer honorary Doctor of Science degrees on three eminent Nigerians: the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi; diplomat Prince Roland Olawumi Omowa; and business mogul Mr. Folajimi Akinloye Adetula.

He added that seven programmes recently underwent NUC accreditation visits, while research output continues to grow, supported by a national workshop on ethical health research. Security on campus, he said, has also been strengthened through partnerships with the Nigerian Army, NSCDC and private security outfits.

Aremu thanked journalists, staff and the university community for their support, reaffirming Achievers University’s dedication to a stable academic calendar, quality service delivery and the production of globally competitive graduates.

 

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