In a welcome move aimed at retaining its top talent, Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA) has announced that 32 students who graduated with first-class honours in the 2025/2026 academic session will be offered automatic employment as graduate assistants.
At the pre-convocation briefing held on Monday, the Vice-Chancellor, Olugbenga Ige, revealed the total number of graduands set to receive degrees and diplomas: 5,799. Among them, 32 first-class undergraduates, 1,444 with second class upper, 3,177 with second class lower, 582 with third class and 16 receiving pass degrees.
Ige emphasised that the automatic job offer aligns with the university’s long-standing policy of retaining its best “products”, but only for those graduates who wish to serve at the institution after completing their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
In addition to undergraduate graduands, the convocation class includes 526 postgraduate students: 32 will receive PhD degrees, 492 will obtain master’s degrees, and the remaining two are set for postgraduate diplomas.
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A gesture of confidence and retention
For many students, graduating with a first-class honour is a landmark achievement, but the uncertain job market in Nigeria often dims the euphoria. With this announcement, AAUA is effectively offering a lifeline: the promise of employment without the usual waiting games or lengthy job searches.
The automatic appointment as graduate assistants — contingent on completing NYSC — offers the 32 graduates not just a job, but a clear path into academia. It signals confidence from the university leadership in these young minds, and underscores a strategic commitment to keep home-grown talent from drifting away.
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor reiterated that this is not a one-off generosity, but part of AAUA’s policy to retain its brightest minds. “The university has a policy to give automatic employment to its best graduates,” he said.
For families and communities of the graduates, the news is likely deeply reassuring. In a country where employment remains a formidable challenge for many fresh graduates, this offer can represent hope, pride, and a sign that hard work — both by students and university administration — can pay off.
Wider picture: growth, accreditation and institutional stability
This latest convocation comes after AAUA has fronted considerable growth in student population and academic offerings. The graduating batch of 5,799 includes both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Under Ige’s leadership, the university has expanded its academic landscape, reportedly increasing the number of faculties and introducing new departments, including disciplines such as computing, allied health sciences, food science and technology, and library and information services.
Crucially, all academic programmes at AAUA have maintained full accreditation status with the National Universities Commission (NUC). The VC highlighted that this accreditation, along with ongoing staff training and infrastructural upgrades, has remained a priority, even amidst broader challenges facing the tertiary education sector in Nigeria.
In his address, Ige expressed gratitude to the state government, the university’s governing council, management, staff, alumni, and host community for their support in achieving these milestones.
Significance for Nigerian higher education and the fight against brain drain
The decision by AAUA to offer automatic academic positions to its brightest graduates resonates far beyond the university gates. In a climate where many young Nigerians with strong academic credentials are seeking opportunities abroad, a phenomenon often dubbed “japa syndrome”, — this initiative represents a meaningful step towards curbing brain drain in the academic sector.
By signalling that excellence is rewarded, AAUA is reinforcing the value of academic achievement and encouraging students to excel, not just for personal achievement but for a clearer career path within the country. This approach could inspire other institutions to adopt similar policies — potentially reshaping the trajectory of tertiary education and workforce development in Nigeria.
Moreover, integrating first-class graduates into academia ensures that the next generation of students will benefit from instructors deeply familiar with the Nigerian educational context, challenges, and opportunities, rather than relying solely on externally recruited lecturers.
In times when funding, institutional instability and infrastructural deficits have hampered many public universities in Nigeria, AAUA’s move — particularly as it precedes its 14th convocation- hints at a broader ambition: to strengthen internal capacity, safeguard academic integrity and build a resilient academic community from within.
As the university gears up for its convocation on December 12 and 13, the spotlight will be on the 32 first-class graduates now set to become the next generation of academic staff at AAUA. For them, and for the institution, this is more than a ceremony; it is a vote of confidence, a fresh start, and perhaps a small but significant step in affirming the value of Nigerian education and the promise of Nigerian youths.
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