Campus Gist

UNIBEN Best Graduating Students Get N750K Cash Prizes

The Osasere Osifo Prize for Academic Excellence has honoured Miss Odigie Adesuwa Jessica, the Overall Best Graduating Student of the University of Benin, at the recently concluded 51st Convocation Ceremony, with a cash prize of ₦500,000. Miss Jessica graduated from Chemistry, Faculty of Physical Sciences with a First Class degree, recording an impressive CGPA of 4.89.

Also honoured was Miss Omoniyi Oghenekevwe Deborah, who emerged as the Best Graduating Student in the Department of Physics, the Convener’s former department, Faculty of Physical Sciences. Deborah, who graduated with Second Class Upper degree with a CGPA of 4.19, received a cash prize of ₦250,000.

The Academic Prize is an initiative of a former President of the UNIBEN Students’ Union Government, Engr. Osasere Favour Osifo, who currently serves as the President of the University of Benin Alumni Association, North America (UBAANA). Instituted in 2021, the prize has now awarded a total of ₦3 million to eleven (11) recipients across three convocation years.

The award presentation ceremony took place on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at the institution’s Students’ Affairs Division. Miss Jessica, a graduate of the Faculty of Physical Sciences, received a dual honour for emerging as the Best Graduating Student in the Convener’s former faculty and as the Overall Best Graduating Student of the University. Miss Deborah was similarly honoured as the Best Graduating Student in the Department of Physics under the same faculty.

Speaking at the ceremony, Engr. Osifo stated that the Academic Prize was instituted with a clear and purposeful vision to recognise, reward, and inspire academic excellence. He described the occasion as one dedicated to celebrating brilliance, discipline, and the unwavering pursuit of knowledge.

He congratulated the award recipients for their outstanding academic distinction, noting that their achievements placed them among the finest scholars produced by the institution.

Ex-Governor Obaseki’s Former Aide, Valentine Uyi, Backs UNIBEN Management Over Conversion of Hall 3 to Female Hostel

A former aide to the immediate-past Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has expressed support for the University of Benin (UNIBEN) management following the protest that trailed the recent conversion of Hall 3 to a female hostel.

The UNIBEN alumnus, Comrade Valentine Uyi, stated this in a statement made available to Campus Gist after mixed reactions and demonstrations by some students over the development. The current administration of Professor Edoba Omoregie, SAN had recently announced that the iconic Hall 3, previously known as a largely male-dominated residence, would be fully converted to a female hostel.

Before the latest decision, the former administration of Professor Lilian Salami had implemented a partial conversion of Hall 3, turning it into a unisex hostel with some blocks allocated to male students and others to female students. This step, Campus Gist understands, was introduced as a stopgap measure to manage growing pressure on female accommodation.

Uyi, who once served closely with the university’s then Dean of Student Affairs, said the protests currently making the rounds do not reflect the realities the institution had been dealing with for years.

According to him, “I find the protest over the conversion of Hall 3 to female hostel puzzling. I served and worked with the then Dean of Student Affairs, and helped recommend that the newly constructed postgraduate hostels be lobbied for female undergraduates and that part of Hall 3 be repurposed for female students. Comrade David Salami was part of this then.”

He explained that the recommendation at the time was based on clear evidence and pressing needs. Uyi noted that female accommodation requests had always outweighed male applications by a wide margin.

“The reasons were straightforward. Female applications each year are many times higher than male applications. Many male-allocated spaces go unused or are occupied illegally, reducing actual availability. Female students were often left stranded, since before the change they only had Halls 1 and 2,” he said.

Uyi stressed that the conversion was not a political gesture but a practical solution aimed at improving fairness, safety and accessibility for female undergraduates. He added that such decisions were made after careful assessment, with student welfare as the overriding priority.

The former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, therefore, urged those protesting to channel their concerns into constructive proposals that can genuinely improve accommodation access for all categories of students.

“The partial conversion was a considered solution to address capacity, safety and fairness, not a political favour. Protests should raise constructive alternatives. How would those protesting increase safe, reliable accommodation for female students? If the protest aims to solve a real problem, let it propose realistic options. Otherwise, it risks looking like resistance to a necessary reform. Let us focus on ideas that expand access and protect students, not on reversing measures that were introduced for those exact reasons,” he added.

The university management is yet to react to the latest developments, but the debate over hostel allocation continues to generate strong reactions among students and alumni.

Jessica Adesuwa, of the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physical Sciences, has emerged as the Overall Best Graduating Student, Class of 2024, with a remarkable CGPA of 4.89 at the just concluded 51st Convocation and 55th Founders’ Day Ceremony of the University of Benin.

2025/2026 Admissions: UNIBEN Increases Acceptance Fee

The fees were increased to N122,820 for Sciences; and N115,670 for Non-Sciences.

Before now, new students paid N60,000 for non-science category, and N80,000 for science category.

Meanwhile, online clearance has started.

Tension in Edo as wicked stepmother allegedly po!sons 20-year-old stepdaughter, Sarah Aghahowa, following her admission to study Nursing at the University of Delta (UNIDEL), Agbor.

CAMPUS GIST gathered that the incident occurred yesterday in Jemilla community, around Ramat Park, on the Benin-Agbor Road, Benin City.

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