In spite of the ongoing nationwide strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the University of Ibadan on Tuesday matriculated 4,261 new students.
This is the first time the institution would be holding physical matriculation since 2019, as a result of its compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
The ceremony started off with the Academic Procession consisting of the Vice-chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Librarian, Provost of the College of Medicine, the Deans, Student Union, and other student leaders.
In his opening address, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale, encouraged the new students to strive for excellence, admonishing them to look up to the great products of the university such as Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe, while referencing the popular saying “If it’s from UI, it is of best quality”.
According to the VC, 63,791 students selected the University as their first choice of institution, with 20,799 scoring above 200 in JAMB examinations, 12,798 of those sitting for the University’s Post UTME, 6,065 people scoring over 50 and finally, 4,261 of those people were offered provisional admission–6.7% of the number of initial applicants.
Delivering the Matriculation Lecture titled “Starting Your Path Diligently”, Miss Olatayo Ifeoluwa, a 2012 Alumna of the University from the Department of English and Literature, encouraged students on the importance of joining organisations in line with their goals and visions.
“School is not a scam” she voiced, closing the lecture on a note of warning that school is not only for certification while making reference to the last line of the school’s anthem “For a mind that knows, is a mind that is truly free”.
