The principal officers of the University of Ibadan (UI) recently came together to celebrate a significant family and academic milestone. They joined renowned academic Dr. Gani Adeniran, his family, and well-wishers to honour his daughter, Halimat Adepeju Adeniran, who was officially conferred with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law by the premier university.
A Community Celebration of Academic Excellence
The event, which took place on 23 November 2025, was more than just a graduation party; it was a powerful display of the strong community bonds within the University of Ibadan. The celebration was marked by warm tributes and a genuine show of camaraderie from the institution's top management.
The high-profile gathering included the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kayode Adebowale; the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Peter Olapegba; the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Juwon Arotiba; the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships), Prof. Simisola Akintola; and the Registrar, Mr. Ganiyu Oke Saliu. Their presence underscored the significance of Halimat's achievement and the high regard in which her father, Dr. Adeniran, is held within the academic community.
Gratitude and a Look at UI's Progress
In his heartfelt remarks, Dr. Adeniran expressed profound appreciation to the university leadership and other distinguished guests. He stated, “We are appreciative of your presence at the occasion, aside from the cash gifts and prayerful support. When all is said and done, humanity indeed covers more than clothes. We remain grateful for these demonstrations of affection and love. May the things of joy never depart from your homes.”
This celebration was part of the university's 77th Foundation Day Ceremony, where over 400 candidates were awarded Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Speaking at the convocation, Vice Chancellor Adebowale reiterated UI's commitment to producing highly skilled graduates equipped to tackle national and global challenges.
“Our goal is to increase the number of PhD outputs every academic session while ensuring our undergraduate programmes remain cutting-edge and globally competitive,” the VC said.
UI Maintains Leadership Amidst Challenges
Prof. Adebowale also highlighted the university's impressive international standing. Despite the funding challenges plaguing Nigerian universities, UI has maintained its leadership position. The latest Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026 placed UI as the best in Nigeria and in the 801–1000 global band among 2,191 universities across 115 countries.
“This achievement is a testament to the foresight, commitment, and hard work of successive administrations, our faculty, and staff,” he emphasized.
In a move to further expand its academic offerings, the VC announced that the University Senate had approved the creation of two new faculties: the Faculty of Nursing and the Faculty of Computing. Approval was also given for the establishment of a Department of Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering within the Faculty of Technology.
Furthermore, the university received NUC approval to commence several new programmes in the 2025/2026 academic session, including:
- B.Sc. Social Work
- B.Ed. Educational Technology
- B.Sc. Ed. Computer Science
- B.Eng. Biomedical Engineering
