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Let me express my deepest gratitude for the privilege of addressing the matriculating students today. It is a particular honour for me because the first time I applied to the University of Ibadan, it was 2005. I was denied admission. So I stepped back. I went and did my A-Levels. I studied harder. I prepared again for UTME. I came back in 2006, believing that this time, it would work. And I will tell you — getting into UI that year felt tougher than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. I waited for the first batch. My name was not there. I waited for the second batch. My name was not there. I waited for the third batch. My name was still not there. It was only on the supplementary list — that quiet list the university releases almost reluctantly, as if to say, "well, perhaps we should give this one a chance" — that my name finally appeared.
And I cried because I had already given up. And in that moment, I made a promise to God. I said: "Grant me wisdom. Let me work hard. And when I succeed, let this university look back and say — it was good that we gave that young man a chance."
And I stand before you today, exactly twenty years later, on the special invitation of the Council and Senate of this University. And so I ask, would you call that a coincidence or is it providence?
I give you this story to let you understand the value of the UI admission you hold in your hands today. Please do not take it for granted.
You are entering a university that stood tall and still remains standing tall and strong, weathering the storm. No university on earth could have given me the combination of knowledge, values, and character that the University of Ibadan gave me. A university with a reputation that far precedes her name. A university that is no respecter of fame, wealth, influence or connection but the values of integrity, merit and determination to excel.
It is that reputation you now inherit today. It did not happen by chance... it took men and women, students and staff of uncommon substance, to build this reputation.
So I greet you with a resounding greeting that echoes through the corridors of greatness. A greeting that carries a resonance beyond the reach of light. A greeting passed down through generations of men and women of true character and calibre. Greatest of the Greatest, UItes — congratulations.
Providence
Well, I do not know what your journey has been up to this point. But I know that just like me, there are some of you who also came through a long road. Thousands applied but were turned away. Thousands more didn't even dare to apply to UI — they already knew they couldn't make it. But you applied boldly. And you got in. That is providence. That is God's way of saying: "here is your platform. Now what will you do with it?" So I say to you — say it after me: "Providence brought me here." Yes, providence brought you here, but only diligence will keep you here.
Diligence
After providence, you need diligence, because diligence will keep you here. This university does not joke. It will test you. You will hear that certain courses are tough, or that certain lecturers never give above 70%; do not be deterred. The fact that those before you struggled doesn't mean you would. We are wired differently, as I learned many years ago. So, plan your time.
Diligence is waking up when others are sleeping. Studying hard when others are chilling. Asking questions when others are lost. Remaining hungry in your pursuit of what you came here to achieve.
I know diligence because I was here. When the hostel was in darkness at night and fellow Katangites were banging the corridor barriers, screaming the name of the Vice-Chancellor, I was neck-deep in my study, with my lamp burning out slowly.
Diligence is knowing that the real aluta does not lie in fomenting trouble on campus but in graduating in good time and attaining prominence, to be part of the solution, fixing today's problems tomorrow.
Remember — your parents are depriving themselves today of comfort, fashion, holidays, and even their personal dreams, all for you to become great tomorrow. So when we say diligence, it is not just for your sake. It is a race for your entire family.
When you want to give up, remember why you started this journey in the first place. As for me, it was simple. I was tired of waking into a country where power supply was a luxury, not a right. Where the old farmer in the village had no protection. Where the young girl walking home wasn't safe. Where the less privileged had dreams but no ladder to climb. And I said to myself — someone has to solve this. In this country, they say you need connections to make impact. I had none. So I made a decision: I will become the connection my family needs. I will be the one who succeeds, so that when my people need help, I can help them. That became the fire in my belly. That was what kept me going — not for glory, but for purpose.
And God was faithful. Scholarship opportunities came — I was on the list. When it was time for my industrial attachment, I had three internship offers on a platter of gold: Shell Petroleum, Schlumberger, and one more. Three. Not because I chased them. Because I had built something worth finding.
Excellence
I like to say that yes, diligence will keep you here, but it is excellence that takes you there. Excellence means you don't just attend lectures — you pursue true understanding. You don't just listen — you read. You go to the library, you put it to practice. You form study groups. You teach your colleagues, because teaching is one fast way to master what you have learned. When your peers say they are tired, you push forward. When the crowd takes shortcuts, you take the right path. You wish to stand out, and you work for it.
Confidence
Finally, for anything you know, you need confidence. You can be the most diligent, most excellent student in your department — but if you cannot speak up, if you cannot walk into a room and represent what you know, your brilliance will stay locked inside you. And locked-up brilliance helps nobody.
But I must add this — confidence also needs courage, and courage needs street smartness. Stay fully aware of current happenings in your country and across the world — politically, economically and socially. A student who understands the world around them carries themselves differently. It keeps you grounded. It keeps you in control. The truth is that the world you are in today will be very different from the world you will be graduating into four or five years from now. You must continuously adapt.
The AI advantage
Twenty years ago, when I was sitting in your place, nobody spoke of artificial intelligence. We had textbooks, libraries, and if we were lucky, a computer lab. Today, you have search engines, social media, and AI assistants that can explain complex topics, summarise research, generate practice questions, and review your work — all within seconds. This is a tremendous advantage. But only if you use it with wisdom.
Here is how I advise you to use AI for your academics: think of it as a study partner — and a very knowledgeable one at that. A good study partner doesn't do your work for you. They discuss concepts with you, challenge your thinking, help you identify where you are weak, and push you to go deeper. That is exactly how you should use AI. Before your lecturer even walks into the room, open your AI assistant and discuss the topic you are about to be taught. Build curiosity. Then attend the class with context already in your head. After the class, return to your AI assistant and debrief — discuss what was taught, clarify what confused you, and consolidate what you learned. Then — close it. Open your notes. And write what you think. Use AI to generate past questions, challenge yourself to answer them alone, then let it review your answers and show you where your gaps are.
And I must say this clearly — never abandon your textbooks. AI is powerful and confident, but it gets things wrong sometimes. Your textbook, on the other hand, has been reviewed, edited, and verified by experts. So use AI as a discussion partner, but verify with your texts. Talk to AI as a study partner, not as your teacher. Your lecturer remains your teacher. AI is your thinking companion.
Guard your values. True excellence is not in the use of AI to write your coursework but in the use of AI to optimise the learning resources available to you. Life will test you in moments where you cannot google anything. In that examination hall, in that job interview, in that boardroom where a client is waiting for your answer, in that theatre where a patient needs your decision right now — there will be no AI, no search engine, no study partner. There will only be you and what you have truly learned. So yes, use AI to build yourself, but not to replace yourself. The goal is that one day, when it matters most, everything you need is already inside you.
For your career and your public presence — social media is now a portfolio, and a personal website is a brand. But beyond that, AI is one of the most powerful career tools available to your generation. Use it for ideation — to brainstorm ideas, explore possibilities, and think bigger than your immediate environment allows. Use it to learn new skills that your curriculum may not even cover yet. Use it for networking — to craft professional messages, research organisations, and identify opportunities you would never have found alone. I cannot count the number of opportunities that have come my way just because ChatGPT recommended me to someone during their chat — and AI gets its data from the public web. So put yourself out there for the right reasons.
I leave you with this warning: AI must be your servant, not your master. It must be your tool, not your teacher. It must amplify your best — not replace your thinking. Whatever it gives you may be wrong. Remain objective. Lastly, AI is an amplifier. If you show AI hard work, it will amplify hard work. If you show it laziness, it will amplify laziness. The choice of what you feed it is yours.
Conclusion
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen — in a nutshell, twenty years ago, a young man came through the supplementary list of this university by providence. Through diligence, he went on to earn a Federal Government scholarship for his Master's degree, and a UK scholarship for his PhD in Robotics.
With confidence, he proceeded to establish Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria, hosted the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, led Nigeria's Smart Agriculture Initiative, and became Meta's partner in delivering their AI Developer Academy in West Africa.
And in 2021, without his knowledge, the National Assembly in Abuja passed a resolution urging the Federal Government to liaise with his company. I do not say this to impress you. I say it because every single thing that happened to that young man was built on the foundation this university gave him. So I say to you: if this university could lift me up, UI can also take you high.
Congratulations, and may God bless you.