The Chancellor of Trinity University, Lagos, Prince Samuel Adedoyin, has challenged graduates of the institution to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic recovery and national development, urging them to deploy their knowledge, professional skills and creativity towards addressing the country’s challenges rather than abandoning the nation’s future to uncertainty.
Adedoyin gave the charge on Friday during the university’s fifth convocation ceremony, held in Yaba, Lagos, where he addressed members of the graduating class of 2026 under the theme, ‘Convoking a Galaxy of Stars: Shining the Trinity Light to the World’.
The chancellor said Nigeria needed passionate, competent and socially responsible graduates who would apply their education to transform the country, strengthen its economy and improve the lives of its citizens. He challenged the graduating students to see themselves as contributors to national progress and not merely beneficiaries of university education.
Addressing the graduates, Adedoyin said, “I see teachers, lawyers, scientists, and creators who will not leave Nigeria to fall sick, but will stay to build it. This is Nigeria’s rising time. It will be led by graduates like you, young people whose education has been anchored on faith, excellence, and a sense of beauty beyond self.”
He further charged the graduating class to take responsibility for the country’s future, declaring, “The class of 2026, go into this country and build it. Go into the economy and rebuild it. Go into its story and build it.”
The chancellor’s message placed national development at the centre of the responsibilities expected of university graduates, particularly at a time when Nigeria continues to require skilled professionals, innovative thinkers and committed citizens capable of contributing to economic growth and institutional development.
His appeal also underscored the importance of connecting university education with practical national needs. Beyond acquiring academic qualifications, graduates are expected to use their training to improve professional practice, strengthen public and private institutions, create employment opportunities and develop solutions to challenges affecting their communities.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor of Trinity University, Professor Clement Kolawole, urged the graduates to uphold the institution’s values and serve as worthy ambassadors wherever their careers and future endeavours take them.
Kolawole said the university considered character and learning essential elements of its educational mission, stressing that the award of degrees represented recognition of the graduates’ academic achievements and the standards they were expected to maintain after leaving the institution.
“Today, we are proud to say that our graduates have been found worthy in character and learning to be awarded degrees by the university,” the vice-chancellor said.
He added, “I would also like to emphasise that we truly believe in the principle of being worthy in character and learning. I take steps to promote that ideal daily, constantly and consistently.”
The vice-chancellor’s remarks highlighted the university’s expectation that graduates would combine professional competence with integrity, discipline and responsible conduct. Such qualities, he indicated, should remain central to their decisions and interactions as they transition from the university environment into professional and public life.
Also addressing the graduates, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, who was represented by the commission’s Deputy Director, Dr Ayoteju Ogun, advised them to look beyond the possession of academic certificates and focus on the practical value of their education.
Ogun urged the graduates to create opportunities for themselves, demonstrate excellence in their chosen fields and allow integrity to guide their professional and personal decisions.
According to Ribadu, a university degree should serve as a foundation for meaningful contributions rather than an end in itself. He stressed that graduates would need to demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge, solve problems and respond effectively to changing professional and economic conditions.
“Your degree is an important achievement. Its enduring value will depend on what you do with the knowledge and opportunities it provides. Use your education to solve problems, create opportunities, build solutions, and improve lives,” Ribadu said.
He further warned that the demands of the contemporary world extended beyond formal academic qualifications, requiring graduates to develop additional competencies that would enable them to remain relevant in a rapidly changing environment.
“The world you are entering will demand more than certificates. It will demand competence, creativity, integrity, and resilience. Therefore, remain curious, keep learning, embrace change, and equip yourself for emerging opportunities,” he added.
The NUC representative’s message reinforced the growing importance of continuous learning, adaptability and practical skills in a labour market increasingly shaped by technological change, evolving professional standards and competition for employment.
For Nigerian graduates, the challenge extends beyond securing their first jobs. The ability to identify unmet needs, develop innovative solutions, establish sustainable enterprises and contribute to the improvement of existing organisations will remain important to their long-term professional development and the country’s broader economic prospects.
The ceremony also recognised outstanding academic performance, with the university’s two overall best graduating students, Osemen Esezonor of Computer Science and Osayuware Osazuwa of International Relations, delivering valedictory speeches in which they encouraged their fellow graduates and other students to embrace diligence.
Their remarks formed part of the ceremony’s emphasis on hard work, academic commitment and the responsibility that accompanies educational achievement. The recognition of the two students also highlighted the role of sustained effort in attaining academic excellence.
According to the convocation report, the university graduated students across different degree classifications during the 2025/2026 academic session. The reported breakdown comprised 79 First Class graduates, 147 Second Class Upper graduates, 54 Second Class Lower graduates, four Third Class graduates and 39 unclassified graduates.
The distribution demonstrated the range of academic outcomes recorded among the graduating students, while the number of First Class graduates represented a notable achievement for the institution’s graduating class.
Representatives of several Nigerian universities attended the ceremony, including the University of Lagos, Mountain Top University, Christopher University, Covenant University, Lead City University, Crawford University, Ekiti State University and Ajayi Crowther University.
Their attendance reflected the participation of institutions across the higher education sector in the convocation event, which marked an important milestone for Trinity University and its graduating students.
The messages delivered by the chancellor, vice-chancellor and NUC representative converged on a central expectation: university education should produce graduates who can translate academic learning into professional excellence, ethical leadership and measurable contributions to society.
For Trinity University’s class of 2026, the call to rebuild Nigeria presents a challenge that extends beyond the excitement of graduation. It places responsibility on the graduates to demonstrate the value of their education through their conduct, professional achievements, service to their communities and willingness to contribute to the country’s development.
As they begin the next phase of their lives, the graduates have been urged to remain committed to learning, pursue excellence in their respective fields and apply their skills to the problems confronting Nigeria. The ultimate measure of their university education, the speakers suggested, will be reflected not only in the qualifications they have earned but also in the positive changes they help create.
