The Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) reached a historic milestone on Saturday, February 7, 2026, as it celebrated its 10th convocation ceremony. The event served as a double celebration, marking both the graduation of thousands of students and a farewell to the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, whose tenure officially ends next week.
During his final stewardship address, Professor Fasina reflected on the remarkable transformation the institution has undergone since he took the reins in 2021. Under his leadership, FUOYE has grown from a relatively young school into the fourth most sought-after university in Nigeria for admission seekers. He attributed this success to a disciplined implementation of his 20-point transformation blueprint, which has seen the university’s student population triple from 20,000 to over 60,000 in just five years.
The physical landscape of the Oye and Ikole campuses has also been permanently altered by what is now famously called the “Blue Roof Revolution.” This initiative saw the rapid construction of modern academic buildings, all unified by their distinctive blue roofing. Beyond the aesthetics, the university’s academic reach expanded from eight faculties to eighteen, accompanied by a staggering 310% increase in internally generated revenue.
The ceremony also marked the transition of power, as Professor Fasina congratulated his successor, Professor Joshua Ogunwale. Having previously served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Ogunwale is no stranger to the university’s trajectory. Fasina expressed full confidence that the institution remains in steady hands, ensuring that the momentum built over the last half-decade will not falter.
A total of 7,684 graduates were honored during the ceremony, consisting of 7,396 undergraduates and 288 postgraduates. Among them were 131 students who finished with First Class honors. A particularly proud moment for the university was the graduation of its very first set of Law students, who are now scheduled to head to the Nigerian Law School this September.
The event featured a distinguished lineup of honorary doctorate recipients, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Michael Oluwole Adugbole III; and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen. The convocation lecturer, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, praised the university for its resilience and forward-thinking vision, urging the graduates to be ambassadors of character in the larger society.
Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and various educational bodies like TETFund and the NUC for their unwavering support. As the ceremony concluded, it was clear that FUOYE has firmly established itself as a major player in Nigeria’s educational sector, leaving a lasting legacy for the graduating class of 2026.
