A final-year student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Joshua Temitope Oladepo, has accused the university authorities of removing his name from the 2025 convocation list following his participation in a protest over the visit of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Oladepo, a Political Science graduate, said he discovered his exclusion while attempting to complete graduation procedures on the university’s convocation portal, which indicated that his name was not included on the approved graduation list and advised him to contact the Exams and Records Office.
According to the student, the action was unexpected as he had fulfilled all academic and financial requirements for graduation. He said the university had earlier issued him a Notification of Results dated October 3, confirming that he successfully completed his Bachelor of Science degree with a Second Class Upper division. He also said he paid the ₦40,000 convocation fee in November.
The student linked his alleged removal from the graduation list to a protest he joined on June 5 during Wike’s visit to the university where the minister delivered a lecture at Oduduwa Hall. According to reports, Oladepo and another student displayed placards drawing attention to alleged demolitions carried out under the FCT administration and calling for compensation for affected residents.
During the protest, security operatives reportedly escorted the students out of the lecture hall. While the university management later denied that the students were arrested, student rights organisations and activists claimed the protesters were briefly detained by security agencies.
Oladepo maintained that he was never invited to any disciplinary hearing, queried, or formally sanctioned in relation to the protest, describing his exclusion from the graduation list as unfair and punitive.
As of the time of filing this report, the management of Obafemi Awolowo University has not issued an official statement explaining the reason for the student’s removal from the graduation list. The development has continued to spark public debate on student rights, freedom of expression, and the handling of peaceful protests within Nigerian universities.