By Abdulkareem Haruna

MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA — The University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) marked its 50th Anniversary (Golden Jubilee) and its 25th Convocation Ceremony on Monday, celebrating five decades of growth and resilience in the Lake Chad Basin region.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammed Laminu Mele highlighted the university’s evolution from its humble beginnings in 1975 with just two faculties to its current status as a vibrant institution comprising 17 faculties, a College of Medical Sciences, and 12 specialized research centers.

Professor Mele emphasized the university has remained a “steadfast symbol of courage, stability and intellectual fortitude” despite facing insurgency and economic constraints.

Professor ML Mele, VC University of Maiduguri

The 25th Convocation saw one of the largest cohorts in UNIMAID’s history, graduating a total of 20,164 students across all programmes. The figures included: 66 PhDs, 1,020 Master’s Degrees, 13,624 Bachelor’s Degrees.

Notably, 205 undergraduates achieved First Class Honours, underscoring the university’s efforts to strengthen academic standards through comprehensive reforms, including the full domestication of the National Universities Commission (NUC) Quality Assurance Framework.

The VC concluded with an appeal for support for the newly established UNIMAID Endowment Fund to secure the university’s long-term financial sustainability and future growth.