The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan has adjourned until October 29, 2026, the legal dispute between the University of Ibadan (UI) and a postgraduate student, Mr. Kayode Bello, over his alleged exclusion from the university’s graduation ceremony.
Gatekeepers News reports that Bello, who is representing himself in the case, said he urged the appellate court to hear the matter without further delay, arguing that another adjournment could prevent him from participating in the university’s November 2026 convocation.
The appeal stems from a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Ibadan in October 2025. In the ruling, Justice Evelyn Maha reportedly ordered the university to reopen Bello’s postgraduate student portal and allow him to participate in the institution’s convocation after completing his Master’s degree in Communication and Language Arts.
Dissatisfied with the decision, the University of Ibadan, alongside several of its principal officers, including the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and Provost of the Postgraduate College, appealed the judgment.
The appeal came up before Justice Georgewill Abraham on July 3 following an earlier adjournment to allow both parties explore an out-of-court settlement through court-ordered mediation.
According to Bello, the mediation session, held on July 1 before the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Mrs. Maryam Belgore, ended without a resolution.
In a statement made available to journalists, Bello alleged that Belgore threatened him with a longer adjournment if he failed to cooperate during the mediation process. He also accused the court official of displaying bias in favour of the university’s legal team. The allegations have not been independently verified.
Despite Bello’s request for an accelerated hearing, the court fixed October 29, 2026, for the substantive hearing of the appeal.
The student expressed concern that the adjournment could deny him the opportunity to graduate in November if the appeal is not concluded before the university’s convocation.
He noted that the case, which was instituted at the Federal High Court in 2022, has remained unresolved despite the earlier judgment delivered in his favour.
The appellants are represented by Messrs. Frederick Ladapo, Akinade Adesokan and Tomoloju Benjamin of the law firm founded by the late Chief Ladosu Ladapo (SAN).
