Tech Whiz Ayodele Joseph Babalola Shines as ABU Zaria’s Valedictorian at 45th Convocation

​ZARIA, NIGERIA — Amidst the grand academic procession and the vibrant colors of the 45th Convocation ceremony of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, one name resonated with particular brilliance: Ayodele Joseph Babalola.

​Babalola, a graduate of the Department of Computer Science, has officially been crowned the Overall Best Graduating Student for the 2024/2025 academic session. In a feat of intellectual endurance and technical mastery, he achieved a near-perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.92, a score that has set a new benchmark for excellence within the Faculty of Physical Sciences.

​A Milestone for Innovation

​The ceremony, held on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the iconic Mamman Kontagora Square, was more than just a certificate-awarding event; it was a celebration of Nigeria’s future in the global tech landscape. Babalola’s achievement comes at a pivotal time as the university also launched its Science and Technology Incubation Park, supported by a ₦50 million donation from the Kano State Government.

​Addressing the congregation, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adamu Ahmed, praised Babalola’s dedication, noting that such high-level performance in a rigorous field like Computer Science is a testament to the university’s commitment to producing “globally competitive graduates.”

​The Journey to 4.92

​For Babalola, the road to the podium was paved with late nights and a relentless pursuit of coding excellence. Speaking to newsmen following the ceremony, the young scholar expressed profound gratitude to his family and mentors.

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​”This achievement is not just mine; it belongs to everyone who pushed me to see code not just as lines of text, but as a tool for solving Nigerian problems,” Babalola remarked.

​Distinguished Guests and Honors

​The convocation was graced by high-profile figures, including:

• ​Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, DG of the WTO, who delivered the pre-convocation lecture and received an Honorary Doctorate.
• ​Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, who chaired the lecture session.
• ​Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, Governor of Kano State, who pledged significant support for the university’s technological initiatives.

​As the 45th Convocation draws to a close, Ayodele Joseph Babalola stands as a beacon of hope for thousands of students across the country—proving that with discipline, the “Greatest University South of the Sahara” is a place where dreams, no matter how ambitious, can become reality.