All is now set for the 41st Convocation Ceremonies of the University of Ilorin, with the Ceremonials Committee putting finishing touches to arrangements for the event scheduled for October 16 to 25, 2026.
The Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Adegboyega Adisa Fawole, announced this last Friday (September 18, 2026) while presenting the progress report of the Committee at the 313th meeting of the University Senate held at the Senate Chamber.
Prof. Fawole said the Committee was working assiduously on all fronts to ensure hitch-free ceremonies, with particular attention to human and vehicular movement, parking, adherence to time and regulations, security, and effective coordination of stakeholders.
He explained that the award of degrees, which usually takes place over two days, had been expanded to three days to give all graduands better access to the venues of the graduation ceremonies, with the Grand Finale and Founder’s Day scheduled for Friday, October 23.
Prof. Fawole, who is also the immediate past Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services), explained that the first day of the degree-awarding sessions, Wednesday, October 21, woud feature the graduation of students of four-year programmes and diploma graduands from the Faculties of Education, Agriculture (Home Economics), Communication and Information Sciences, Environmental Sciences (Architecture), Social Sciences and the Institute of Education. A total of 4,443 graduands are expected on the Day.
He said the second day, Thursday, October 22, would feature the graduation of four-year programmes and diploma graduands from the Faculties of Arts, Basic Medical Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences, Management Sciences and Physical Sciences. A total of 4,500 graduands are expected.
The Chairman noted that the third day, Friday, October 23, would feature the Convocation Lecture and the graduation of five-year and six year programmes from the Faculties of Agriculture, Basic Clinical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences (Optometry), Law, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine, alongside the conferment of postgraduate degrees. A total of 3,580 graduands are expected.
The Convocation Lecture, according to Prof. Fawole, will be delivered by the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sierra Leone, Hon. Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, who will speak on the topic, “From Lecture Hall to Cabinet Room: The Journey from Academia to Public Leadership”.
Prof. Fawole said that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, would hold a press conference and media chat at the University Auditorium as part of the pre-convocation activities to inform the world of the progress made by the University administration in the last one year.
According to the Ceremonials Committee Chairman, the various Convocation activities will take place at the University Auditorium, the marquee at the Pavilion beside the Auditorium and the Multipurpose Hall. He added that, graduands would be seated in the Auditorium and in the marquee, while parents, guardians and other guests would be accommodated at the Multipurpose Hall. He said that giant television screens would be provided at the venues, with a large mounted screen at the roundabout for guests outside the main venues.
On logistics, Prof. Fawole said that the Committee was paying close attention to security, crowd management, vehicular movement and parking arrangements to prevent rowdiness and minimise inconvenience to stakeholders, saying, access cards would be used to control movement and prevent unauthorised access at the Multipurpose Hall, while the seating arrangements in the Auditorium had been repeatedly reviewed and mapped out.
The Chairman also disclosed that graduation certificates, students’ copies of transcripts and copies of the Order of Proceedings would be made available after the degree-awarding sessions each day.
Prof. Fawole assured the Senate that the Committee would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure effective coordination and a hitch-free 41st Convocation Ceremonies.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor and Chairman of Senate, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, commended the Ceremonials Committee for the various innovations introduced into this year’s Convocation arrangements.
Prof. Egbewole urged all units whose responsibilities would be required during the Convocation to remain committed and ensure that their duties were effectively carried out.
He stated that the success of the 41st Convocation would be a collective achievement of the entire University community, urging all staff to contribute their quota towards making the ceremonies successful.