Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, is gearing up for its 16th convocation, and the numbers hitting the stage this year are nothing short of impressive. The institution announced that 863 students will receive their degrees, with 57 earning First Class honours — a testament to the university’s drive for excellence.
Vice Chancellor, Professor Olasebikan Fakolujo, shared the details during a press briefing on Monday, describing this year’s convocation as more than a ceremony — but a statement of JABU’s rise on the global academic radar.
“We measure success differently,” he said. “Yes, we celebrate academic excellence — 57 First Class graduates this year alone — but we also measure success by how many villages our students have served, how many startups they’ve birthed, and how many patients our nursing graduates have cared for. Our motto, ‘For Knowledge and Godly Service,’ isn’t just ink on a plaque; it’s our DNA.”
Out of the 863 graduating students:
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722 are undergraduates
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141 are postgraduates
But behind the statistics are standout stories that spotlight JABU’s academic quality. The VC highlighted three law graduates — Amedu Martha, Adio Janet, and Adeyeye Adeife — who all made First Class at the Nigerian Law School. Even more remarkable, Adio Janet emerged as the 3rd best student nationwide in criminal litigation and the best female student in the same category.
According to Fakolujo, accomplishments like these are the result of a system built on rigorous academic training, hands-on simulations, and a faculty made up of experienced professionals.
JABU’s Medical Laboratory Science department also maintained an unbroken reputation, recording a 100% pass rate in their professional examinations.
Beyond academics, the university prides itself on producing graduates who are already shaping Nigeria’s workforce.
The VC revealed that:
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87% of JABU’s nursing graduates are currently working in healthcare facilities across Nigeria, including underserved rural communities.
“This is the multiplier effect of JABU education,” he said. “We’re helping solve Nigeria’s talent gap. Our graduates don’t just get jobs — they create them.”
The school also celebrated a special recognition from last year’s convocation:
Mary Amachi, the best female student in Mass Communication with a 4.88 CGPA, received a ₦5 million annual award from the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
As JABU prepares to send off another cohort of future leaders, innovators, and changemakers, the university continues to push its vision of academic excellence paired with service-driven education.