Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has successfully concluded its 49th Convocation Ceremony, celebrating academic excellence, perseverance and institutional legacy, with Amuke Sunday, from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Faculty of Technology, emerging as the Overall Best Graduating Student of the ceremony.
Amuke Sunday’s academic journey stood out as a powerful testament to resilience and consistency. He began his academic pursuit with a 4.44 GPA but went on to record six perfect 5.0 GPAs and two 4.9 GPAs across the remaining nine semesters, eventually graduating with an outstanding 4.90 CGPA.
Reflecting on his journey, he was quoted as saying that the achievement was “the result of discipline, consistency and refusing to be discouraged by a modest beginning.” His remarkable feat attracted widespread admiration within the university community and among guests, becoming one of the defining highlights of the convocation ceremony.
The 49th Convocation Ceremony saw Obafemi Awolowo University graduate a total of 6,562 students across its undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma programmes. Of this number, 5,549 were awarded undergraduate degrees, 959 received postgraduate degrees, while 54 graduands were awarded diploma certificates.
Out of the undergraduate graduands, 218 students graduated with First Class Honours, underscoring the university’s strong academic culture and high standards. The degree classification further showed that 2,132 students earned Second Class Upper Division, 2,244 graduated with Second Class Lower Division, 625 obtained Third Class Honours, while 34 graduated with Pass degrees.
Addressing the gathering, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Simeon Bamire, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to academic excellence, stating that “Obafemi Awolowo University remains resolute in its mandate to produce graduates who are not only academically sound but also equipped with character, innovation and leadership capacity to impact society.”
He added that the performance of the graduating students was a reflection of the university’s sustained investment in quality teaching, research and academic standards.
The ceremony once again affirmed Obafemi Awolowo University’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading centres of learning. The exceptional academic feat recorded by Amuke Sunday, alongside the achievements of thousands of other graduands, highlighted the enduring tradition of excellence for which the Great Ife is renowned.
As academics, parents, alumni and dignitaries converged on Ile-Ife to celebrate the milestone, the 49th Convocation stood as a proud moment not only for the university but also for the host community, reinforcing OAU’s legacy of shaping future leaders through discipline, scholarship and service.