By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
THE University of Ibadan (UI) has found itself at the centre of a heated academic debate after a staggering 58 students from its Faculty of Law graduated with First Class honours, a figure that represents nearly 40 per cent of the 2024/2025 cohort.
The results, which were formally approved by the university’s Senate on Monday, 16th February 2026, have sparked widespread discussion on social media, with some questioning the integrity of the grades.
However, a former Vice-Chancellor has robustly defended the institution, insisting that the stellar outcomes are a direct result of rigorous admissions standards and academic excellence.
According to figures released following the Senate meeting, 58 out of 146 final-year law students achieved the top classification.
While critics online have suggested the numbers point to grade inflation, Professor Idowu Olayinka, who led the institution between 2010 and 2015, has dismissed the “unwarranted criticism” as ill-informed.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Professor Olayinka attributed the phenomenon to the exceptionally high calibre of students admitted to the programme.
He revealed that the Merit Cut-Off Mark for Law admissions at UI stands at a formidable 70.875 per cent.
“At times people comment on topics that they have little information about,” Professor Olayinka stated.
“In reality, all the students admitted into the Faculty of Law have the potential to eventually graduate in First Class insofar as nearly all of them scored a weighted average mark of almost 70 per cent in their entrance examinations.
“This has been the pattern for at least the past 20 years.”
Drawing a comparison with other competitive courses, he noted that the cut-off for Medicine and Surgery sits even higher at 78.875 per cent, while Nursing Science requires 71.375 per cent.
“We should not be surprised if a few years down the line these students also post excellent results,” he added.
The former Vice-Chancellor, who attended the Senate approval meeting, stressed that the university should be praised, not criticised, for successfully nurturing such high-potential students.
He argued that it would be a greater cause for concern if these top-tier entrants failed to excel by the time they graduated.
“What is important is that the UI Law Graduates are fit for purpose,” he said.
“They have always excelled in their Final Bar Examinations at the Nigerian Law School. Rather than any unsubstantiated criticisms, the Dean and all members of Staff in the Law Faculty are to be commended for bringing out the best in their students.”
The university extended its congratulations not only to the law graduates but also to the pioneering set of Doctor of Pharmacy graduates whose degrees were confirmed at the same Senate meeting.
Concluding his robust defence of the institution’s standards, Professor Olayinka sought to reassure the public of the value of a degree from the Premier University.
“The rest of the world should be rest assured of one thing,” he declared. “If it is from Ibadan, it must be of outstanding quality.”
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