By Muyideen Aliyu, Ilorin
The former Minister of Works, Housing and Power, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has admonished Nigerian youths to take advantage of the growing opportunities on social media to showcase their talents and remain relevant in the emerging global economy.
Fashola stated this while delivering the 40th Convocation Lecture of the University of Ilorin, titled “The Gen-Z Playbook: Navigating Work and the Real World,” held at the University Auditorium in Ilorin on Wednesday.
He advised the youths to work hard and shun the quest for sudden wealth, warning that such desires often lead to negative consequences.
Fashola explained that the zeal for quick riches usually comes with regret, misery, and irreparable damage, stressing that while hard work and dedication may be painful, they ultimately bring lasting reward and prosperity.
He urged the graduands to have the courage to reject the temptation of doing wrong, adding that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government provides a veritable platform to make life better for the youth.
The former Lagos State Governor also encouraged young people to cultivate positive relationships and interact more with people than machines. He further appealed to the graduands to use social media responsibly — to improve their skills and talents rather than engage in activities that could damage their image and that of their families.
Fashola charged the youths to project Nigeria’s image positively to the international community, emphasising that they must add value not only to themselves but to the nation as future leaders.
Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Hon. Abiodun Aluko, urged the students to be of good behaviour and lauded the Federal Government and other stakeholders for their contributions to the development of education in the country.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole, SAN, advised the graduands to become agents of transformation in the nation. He said the institution has produced graduates who are well trained to navigate the world of work, become employers of labour, and serve as ambassadors of excellence.
Egbewole disclosed that the university produced 316 first-class graduates out of the 13,868 graduating students for the 40th convocation ceremony, aside from Master’s and PhD awardees.
According to him, 4,120 graduates obtained Second Class (Upper Division), 5,939 earned Second Class (Lower Division), 1,078 bagged Third Class, while 11 will graduate with Pass degrees.
He added that the university has sustained its ranking among the best institutions in the country and has attracted substantial grants amounting to N2.5 billion, allocated to the university by TETFund for the year 2025.
Egbewole also noted that in the area of research, one of the university’s staff, an Associate Professor featured prominently among the most-cited Google Scholars globally, with an impressive 11,826 citations.
