Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Lagos State, has graduated 194 students at its eighth convocation ceremony for the 2025/2026 academic session, with 24 of them earning first-class degrees.
The ceremony, held on Thursday at the university’s Convocation Hall, also featured calls on the graduates to uphold academic excellence, demonstrate strong moral values, and use their education to contribute to Nigeria’s development.
Of the 194 graduates, 24 earned first-class degrees, 88 obtained Second Class Upper Division degrees, 73 graduated with Second Class Lower Division degrees, eight received Third Class Honours, while one graduated with a pass.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Rev. Fr. Professor Anthony Alaba Akinwale, OP, PhD, STM, urged the graduates to remain confident in Nigeria’s future and apply the knowledge and skills acquired during their studies to the country’s development.
He said Nigeria had abundant human and natural resources but needed the moral and political will to realise its potential.
Akinwale added that education should equip graduates with the knowledge, technical skills, and ethical values required to make meaningful contributions to society.
“Nigeria is not a tragedy; Nigeria is a blessing waiting to be received. And you, graduating students, are blessings to Nigeria,” he said.
The university’s Chancellor, Olufemi Otedola, reaffirmed his commitment to completing the institution’s Faculty of Engineering project, estimated to cost N4.35 billion.
Otedola, who was represented at the ceremony by Adebowale Oyedeji, Group Managing Director of First HoldCo Plc, said the second phase of the Engineering block project was scheduled for completion on June 30, 2027.
He disclosed that N1.5 billion had been disbursed to the contractor, adding that he planned to release the remaining N2.8 billion in the coming months to ensure the project was completed as scheduled.
The chancellor said his investment in the university was driven by his belief that education could transform individuals, families, communities, and the country.
He also urged the graduates to compete confidently in the global labour market, stressing that their Nigerian background should not be regarded as a disadvantage.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto and founder of the Kukah Centre, Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, encouraged the graduates to remain open to opportunities and challenges while seeking God’s guidance in making important life decisions.
Kukah, who delivered the convocation lecture titled The Pursuit of Happiness in a World of Moral Relativism, urged the graduates to build strong relationships, maintain existing friendships, and work hard to achieve their ambitions.
“Build partnerships, create networks, make new friends, and keep old ones. Dream big, aim high, and work hard. Things are never going to be as easy as you think,” he said.
The Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos and proprietor of Augustine University, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, announced that the institution had recently been ranked the best Catholic university in Nigeria.
Martins attributed the recognition to the commitment of the university’s staff and students, saying it reinforced the institution’s responsibility to uphold academic excellence, integrity, faith, and service.
The ceremony also featured the presentation of prizes to outstanding students for their academic achievements during the 2025/2026 academic session.
Cecilia Isedoa Okojie, a graduate of Economics, emerged as the overall best graduating student with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.90.
The university management announced a N5 million reward for Okojie, while each of the 24 first-class graduates would receive N1 million in recognition of their academic achievements.
