By By Ademola Ajao
THE 2025/2026 matriculation lecturer of the University of Ibadan, Dr Olusola Ayoola, has affirmed that gaining admission to the university is tougher than getting a camel through the eye of a needle.
University of Ibadan
The remark was made on Wednesday at the International Conference Centre of the university while he delivered the 2025/2026 matriculation lecture.
Narrating his experience of gaining admission to the university, Dr Ayoola said he was surprised when his name appeared on the supplementary list after waiting for two months.
Dr Ayoola added that he cried and made a vow to strive to do his best academically so that the university would not ask him to withdraw owing to poor performance. Twenty years later, however, he was invited to deliver a matriculation lecture.
He described admission to UI as a visa to join the community of men and women of substance who have built the institution’s reputation over the years.
Speaking on diligence, Dr Ayoola reiterated that “diligence is when you know that the real Aluta is not about causing trouble on campus but about graduating on time and contributing solutions to national development”.
According to him, in a country where people often say that success requires connections, individuals must strive to become the connections they desire by pursuing excellence.
“God was faithful to me because when it was time for my industrial training, I received several scholarships courtesy of the university. Companies came to UI to request lists of the best students, and I was privileged to be among them because I had built something worth finding,” he said.
He advised the matriculating students not to rely on artificial intelligence as their teacher but to tap into the wealth of knowledge of the lecturers at the University of Ibadan.
“AI must be your servant and not your master — your tool and not your teacher,” he said.
In his matriculation address, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof Kayode Adebowale, disclosed that only 4,430 students out of 46,916 applicants were admitted for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Prof Adebowale spoke during the matriculation ceremony for the newly admitted students of the university.
“Let us begin by putting your achievement into perspective. In the last admission cycle, out of the thousands of candidates who aspired to be here, you emerged as the cream of the crop,” he said.
“You represent a small and exceptional percentage of those who dreamed of wearing the prestigious indigo-blue and gold of this institution.”
Providing details of the admission process, the Vice-Chancellor said a total of 46,916 candidates applied to the university as their first-choice institution for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Out of that number, 45,991 candidates applied through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), while 925 sought admission through Direct Entry (DE).
Prof Adebowale said 13,618 of the applicants met the university’s 200-point cut-off mark and subsequently sat for the institution’s post-UTME screening exercise, with 7,046 candidates scoring 50 per cent and above.
According to him, 4,171 candidates were admitted through UTME, while 259 secured admission through DE, bringing the total number of admitted students to 4,430.
“This represents 9.4 per cent of the total number of candidates who applied to the University of Ibadan. You are not just statistics; you are the 9.4 per cent — the champions who proved yourselves worthy of this platform,” he said.
“Your admission is a testament to your hard work, resilience and intellectual capacity.”
Prof Adebowale also provided a breakdown of the admissions across faculties and colleges.
According to him, 159 students were admitted to the Faculty of Agriculture, 699 to Arts-related courses, and 938 to the College of Medicine.
He added that 179 students were admitted to Computing, 204 to Economics and Management Sciences, and 534 to the Faculty of Education.
Others include 87 admitted to Environmental Design and Management, 140 to Law, 128 to Pharmacy, and 71 to Renewable Natural Resources.
In addition, 417 students were admitted to Sciences, 471 to Technology, 323 to Social Sciences, and 80 to Veterinary Medicine.
Highlighting the institution’s history, Prof Adebowale said the university, established in 1948 as a college of the University of London, has grown significantly over the decades.
“The University of Ibadan started with the foundational faculties of Arts, Sciences and Medicine and has evolved into a citadel of learning with over 130 academic departments organised into twenty-three faculties, two colleges, six institutes and five centres,” he said.
Matriculation Not a Ticket for Complacency
Congratulating the newly admitted students and their families, the Vice-Chancellor said their admission was the result of dedication and perseverance.
“I once again extend profound congratulations to you. This is the result of providence, diligence and hard work, and it has placed in your hands a privilege of a lifetime,” he said.
Prof Adebowale warned the students that admission to the university should not be seen as a reward but as a challenge that demands commitment and discipline.
“Your admission is not just a reward; it is a challenge. The visa you have been given today — this matriculation — is not a ticket to complacency but a permit for a journey of rigorous work, discipline and relentless pursuit of knowledge,” he said.
He urged the students to make deliberate choices that would shape their future.
“As you begin this journey, I want to imprint one concept in your minds: genuine success is achieved through deliberate choices,” he said.
“The University of Ibadan is a vibrant community, a microcosm of Nigeria itself. Within these halls, you will be presented with a thousand different paths.”
Prof Adebowale advised the students to choose their associations carefully and remain focused on academic excellence.
He warned that the university maintains a zero-tolerance policy for cultism, examination malpractice, harassment and other forms of misconduct.
“These are not mere rules; they are the ethical boundaries that protect our academic community and ensure a conducive environment for everyone,” he said.
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