Redeemers University Produces 185 First-Class Graduates

Redeemers University, located in Ede, Osun State, has achieved its highest record of first-class graduates since its establishment, with 185 students earning this prestigious academic distinction in the graduating class of 2025.

In a significant development for Nigeria’s private education sector, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shadrach Olufemi Akindele, announced that Redeemers University has been chosen by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) as one of just eight private universities in the nation authorised to train government-sponsored postgraduate students.

Professor Akindele shared this news during a press conference held to celebrate the university’s 17th convocation ceremony as well as its 20th anniversary.

Akindele characterised this achievement as “a representation of the institution’s dedication to academic excellence and the development of character”, emphasising that the 2025 convocation signifies a period of “double honour” for the faith-based institution.

He stated, “We are not only graduating another remarkable class, the resilient Set of 2025, but we are also commemorating 20 years of Redeemer’s University. Truly, this is a time of double honour,” he remarked.

“This is an exceptional accomplishment, particularly given that there are currently 168 private universities in Nigeria.

The Vice-Chancellor emphasised, “It reinforces the integrity and quality of our postgraduate programmes,” he said. This year, a total of 1,341 students will graduate, which includes 1,003 undergraduates and 338 postgraduates.”

Among the graduates, Mr Joel Durugbo from the Department of Mechanical Engineering has distinguished himself as the overall best graduating student by achieving a perfect 5.0 CGPA, a first in the university’s history.

Akindele also pointed out the institution’s expanding international reputation, highlighting that Redeemer’s University ranked second in Nigeria in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings and was recognised as number one in several categories of Sustainable Development Goals.

The university’s African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), led by Professor Christian Happi, has continued to gain worldwide recognition.

Happi was recently named among TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025 for his groundbreaking contributions to genomics and public health.

“These achievements establish Redeemer’s University as a place where faith, knowledge, and innovation intersect for global influence,” Akindele remarked.

The Vice-Chancellor recounted notable events from the university’s 20th anniversary, including newly inaugurated infrastructure projects led by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the university’s Visitor, and Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye.

The newly commissioned projects include the Faculty of Law building, the Josephus Institute of Earth Sciences, and the Redeemer’s University Staff School.

Pastor Adeboye also conducted the sod-turning ceremony for a planned 10,000-seater university chapel auditorium.

During the upcoming convocation ceremonies, three esteemed Nigerians—Evangelist Omolewa Yetunde Ahmed, Evangelist Mike Bamiloye, and Mr Kola Adesina—are slated to receive honorary doctorate degrees.

Akindele concluded the briefing with a hopeful outlook for the university’s future.

“As we commemorate 20 years of God’s faithfulness and the emergence of the Indomitable Set, I assert that the most remarkable days for Redeemer’s University are still to come,” he expressed.