By Mahdi Waziri Isa
More than 6,000 newly admitted postgraduate students of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, have taken the institution’s matriculation oath for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The students took the oath on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, during a matriculation ceremony held at the Postgraduate College Auditorium, ABU, Samaru, Zaria.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, said the new students were joining ABU at a significant period when postgraduate education in the institution was undergoing a new direction.
He said postgraduate education was gradually moving beyond the traditional approach to a system that was increasingly research-driven, innovative, technology-enabled, collaborative and responsive to societal needs.
Prof. Ahmed described the admission of approximately 6,000 postgraduate students as an indication of the continued confidence in ABU as a centre for advanced learning and research.
“You are now part of a growing community of scholars expected to continue to give knowledge and provide solutions to the challenges facing our nation and the world,” he said.z
The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on postgraduate education, noting that the technology was rapidly transforming the way people learn, conduct research, analyse information and disseminate knowledge.
He urged the new students to pursue research capable of addressing real-world challenges, generating new knowledge and developing solutions that would improve lives and contribute to national development.
Also speaking, the Provost of the Postgraduate College, Prof. Oluyinka Oluseyi Okubanjo, congratulated the students and said the College was undergoing a deliberate process of “renewal, re-engineering and rebirth.”
According to him, the process was driven by a central commitment to making the postgraduate experience more purposeful and successful.
He urged the students to make proper use of the opportunity to study at the university and remain committed to their academic responsibilities.
The Dean of Students, Prof. Junaidu B. Sahalu, called for the revision of postgraduate documents to ensure that students had clear and updated guidance on the rules and regulations governing postgraduate programmes.
He also advised the students to take their research seriously, remain focused and disciplined, and respect the diversity of the university community, which he described as one of ABU’s strengths.
The Director of the Counselling and Human Development Centre, Prof. Hadiza Ahmed Tukur, briefed the students on the counselling and support services available to them through the centre.
Representatives of other university units, including University Health Services, Sports, Security and IAIICT, also made brief presentations on the services available to postgraduate students.
The matriculation oath was administered by the University Registrar, Rabiu Samaila.
The ceremony marked the formal induction of the newly admitted postgraduate students into the academic community of Ahmadu Bello University.
