The management of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Oyo State, has announced plans to conduct a graduation ceremony for a total of 47,623 graduates of the defunct Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Olanrewaju Olaniyan, made this known while addressing journalists at a press conference to herald the institution’s 3rd Foundation Day celebration.
He explained that the graduands completed their programmes between 2005 and 2025 but were unable to participate in graduation ceremonies due to various circumstances.
Recall that Emmanuel Alayande University of Education officially transitioned from an NCE-awarding institution to a degree-awarding university on December 16, 2022, following approval by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
According to Professor Olaniyan, the decision to organize the graduation ceremony is part of the university’s resolve to acknowledge its roots and fulfil an obligation owed to its former students.
“We believe this third anniversary deserves to be celebrated. However, as a university, we must also remember where we are coming from. We evolved from a College of Education, and as such, the institution is indebted to thousands of students who completed their programmes but never had the opportunity to enjoy a graduation ceremony,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the last graduation ceremony held on the campus took place in 2007 or 2008 and was only for students who graduated in 2005.
“From 2005 till 2025, many students completed their NCE programmes without benefitting from a graduation ceremony. This is a debt we must redeem. If we are now a university and fail to address this, it means we have deprived these graduates of a significant milestone in their academic lives,” he added.
Professor Olaniyan disclosed that the management therefore proposed to the university council that the 3rd Foundation Day celebration should also serve as a combined graduation ceremony for NCE graduates spanning 21 academic years, from 2005 to 2025.
“Some people may ask why this is necessary, considering that some of these graduates are now ministers, professors, and successful professionals. However, there is something missing in their lives — that NCE graduation ceremony.” We want to ensure that this long-standing obligation is finally settled,” he explained.
He further revealed that the graduation exercise would cover 47,623 graduates from the 2005/2006 to the 2024/2025 academic sessions, adding that the event would symbolize the institution’s complete transition from a college of education to a full-fledged University.
Speaking on the growth of the university, Professor Olaniyan said Emmanuel Alayande University has recorded impressive student enrolment figures since it began its admission process.
“For the 2023/2024 session, we admitted 2,776 students. In the 2024/2025 session, admissions rose to 3,234, while for the current session, we have admitted 3,860 students. This brings the total number of students admitted over the last three sessions to 9,620,” he stated.
He described the institution as one of the fastest-growing universities in the country, noting that some institutions established over a decade ago do not have comparable enrolment figures.
The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted staff development achievements, disclosing that 47 academic staff were recently promoted to the professorial cadre, while 86 others advanced to higher academic ranks. In addition, 116 non-academic staff benefitted from the latest promotion exercise.
He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, staff welfare, and the provision of diverse academic programmes aimed at producing well-rounded graduates
