The J.T. Useini Stadium, University of Jos (UNIJOS), was filled with excitement and solemn reflection as graduands, parents, alumni, visitors and well-wishers gathered for the combined 35th and 36th Convocation Ceremony of the University, coinciding with its Golden Jubilee celebration.
From Peter Azi, Jos
The J.T. Useini Stadium, University of Jos (UNIJOS), was filled with excitement and solemn reflection as graduands, parents, alumni, visitors and well-wishers gathered for the combined 35th and 36th Convocation Ceremony of the University, coinciding with its Golden Jubilee celebration.
A total of 21,425 graduands were awarded various certificates during the ceremony, including 154 First Class honours, marking one of the most remarkable academic milestones in the institution’s history.
Delivering his address, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tanko Ishaya, said he welcomed the audience with “profound gratitude, humility and a deep sense of responsibility” as the University celebrated 50 years of academic excellence, innovation, resilience and national service.
The Vice-Chancellor paid glowing but emotional tributes to eight UNIJOS students who lost their lives in a ghastly motor accident in the early hours of Thursday, December 11, 2025. He described the incident as tragic, noting that it cast a shadow over the convocation. He prayed for the repose of their souls and for strength for their families, friends and colleagues.
Professor Ishaya noted that the Golden Jubilee was not only about awarding degrees but also about celebrating the University’s rich history, heritage and hope for the future. He recalled that UNIJOS officially turned 50 on September 23, 2025, a milestone marked with a series of commemorative activities, including a Distinguished Alumni Lecture titled “Justice System in a Digital Age: Opportunities, Challenges and the Role Ahead”, delivered by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, an alumnus of the University.
Reflecting on five decades of growth, the Vice-Chancellor stated that UNIJOS had evolved from a modest campus into a globally recognised centre of learning, research and innovation, with strengths in Medicine, Pharmacy, Agriculture, Arts and Humanities, Management Sciences, Engineering, Security Studies, Artificial Intelligence and more.
He disclosed that UNIJOS alumni are serving across the globe as governors, judges, ministers, diplomats, legislators, captains of industry, academics and innovators, while the University continues to play leading national roles in peace-building, electoral reforms, community engagement and security studies.
Highlighting infrastructural development, Professor Ishaya listed major projects including new faculties of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dental Sciences and Computing; a Central Laboratory at the ICT Centre; the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation; the Veterinary Teaching Hospital; modernised student hostels; and a new sports complex.
According to him, 18 new undergraduate programmes were introduced this year alone, including Dental Sciences, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Forensics, Radiography, Physiotherapy, Pharmacology, Entrepreneurship and Social Work.
The Vice-Chancellor also announced a major boost in internationalisation, revealing that 67 international students from 13 African countries were admitted into the 2024/2025 academic session through partnerships championed by Senator Rochas Okorocha and his foundation.
On sports development, he said UNIJOS successfully hosted the Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) for the first time, with a record 96 participating universities, emerging overall second and winning the highest number of gold medals.
He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government, TETFund, the Ministries of Education and Sports Development, the National Sports Commission, Plateau State Government, corporate bodies and individuals for their support.
As part of its corporate social responsibility, the Vice-Chancellor highlighted the Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education Project initiated by the Faculty of Education and the Institute of Education in partnership with Islamic Counselling Initiatives and the Dawuud Research Institute. Implemented in Angwan Rogo, the programme achieved 100 per cent improvement in literacy among participants and significantly reduced child begging and exploitation.
Providing statistics, Professor Ishaya disclosed that the graduating class included 407 PhD holders, 2,977 Master’s degree holders, 243 Postgraduate Diploma recipients and 17,798 Bachelor’s degree graduates, alongside 4,165 graduates from affiliate institutions.
Addressing the graduands, he congratulated them for persevering through global disruptions and national uncertainties, urging them to see their certificates as the beginning of leadership and lifelong learning.
He described academic and non-academic staff as the backbone of the University, saluted past Vice-Chancellors and leaders, and outlined ongoing research priorities in vaccines, artificial intelligence, health sciences, climate change, peace studies, agriculture, digital economy and energy innovation.
The Vice-Chancellor further announced that UNIJOS has, for the first time, been ranked among the top 10 universities in Nigeria by a prestigious global higher education ranking, placed within the 1201–1500 global band.
He revealed that the University is benefiting from major interventions, including a ₦3 billion ICT Dell Project funded by the French Development Agency, participation in the Energising Education Programme Phase 6, and selection as a Centre of Excellence in Sports by the Federal Government.
In her remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Professor Grace Bent, described the Golden Jubilee as a celebration of destiny, courage and excellence, tracing the University’s journey from its origin in 1971 as a satellite campus of the University of Ibadan to a full-fledged federal university in 1975.
The Chancellor of the University and Emir of Zaria, Alhaji Nuhu Bamali, also expressed sorrow over the loss of the eight students, while affirming UNIJOS’ reputation for excellence, innovation and professionalism. He commended TETFund, NELFUND and the Plateau State Government for their continued support.
The ceremony, attended by representatives of the Visitor, state government and other dignitaries, climaxed with the presentation of certificates to graduands and the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on distinguished personalities.
