In a strategic effort to bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional leadership skills, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Office of Advancement, in partnership with the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, hosted another edition of its flagship initiative, “From Lecture Room to Boardroom” on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.
Held at the Research Lecture Hall A, College of Medicine, Idi-Araba; the interactive session linked students across medical disciplines with eminent alumni who have succeeded in diverse sectors.
The session was an action seminar designed to connect students with accomplished alumni who have gone on to build careers across different sectors. The initiative highlights the university’s dedication to leveraging its vast alumni network to nurture the next generation of global leaders.
Opening
Declaring the session open, the Director of the Office of Advancement, Dr. (Mrs.) Taiwo F. Ipaye, emphasised the strategic essence of alumni engagement in modelling the professional stance of students.
Dr. Ipaye observed that every good professional journey begins quietly, often within the walls of a lecture room, and that with discipline, mentorship, and purpose, that same environment can become the foundation for a life of influence and impact. She stressed that the students should receive the session as more than an event and see it as a mirror of possibilities.
Speaking on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development Services), Prof. Afolabi Lesi, stressed that there is no single pathway to fulfilment after graduation, noting that mentorship extends beyond the classroom and that students are surrounded by role models within their own faculty.
He challenged students to look beyond admiration for their guest speakers’ accomplishments and to recognise their own potential. “See yourself in them,” he said. “Not only will you achieve what they have achieved, you will surpass it.” He admonished the students.
A True Homecoming
The forum designed to enable students connect their academic learning to professional real-world experiences, brought on board two distinguished alumni of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences: Professor Omoniyi Kayode Yemitan, Acting Dean, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), and Mr. Joseph Opeyemi Owolabi FCCA, CISA, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Rubicola Consulting as keynote speakers
They delivered what participants termed as candid, real-world and inspirational sessions.
In his presentation, Mr. Joseph Opeyemi Owolabi FCCA, CISA, shared his career trajectory through banking, global finance, green finance, and artificial intelligence, which saw him become the youngest person, and the first Black African, to lead a major global professional accounting body.
He described relationships, communication, and open-mindedness as the true currency of career success, urging students to actively build professional connections during their time on campus.
Mr. Owolabi identified relationships as an all-important currency in professional life. He admonished the students to build intentional relationships with their lecturers and peers. His words, “The greatest skill that has worked for me is not even my wits, its relationships.”
During his presentation, Prof. Omoniyi Kayode Yemitan reflected on his years within the University, and his participation in the session as homecoming. He lauded the distinct confidence and exposure he had observed in UNILAG-trained students compared to their counterparts elsewhere, and encouraged students not to be anxious about their choice of course of study.
Prof. Yemitan pointed out that professional success depends on diligence rather than discipline studied. He further explained that, “AI is not going to take your job; it’s only if you allow AI to take your job.”
According to him, the passion of humanity will always be there to make a difference, and all that is needed is adapting to the time, especially the use of technology and artificial intelligence.
Following the presentations, students engaged both facilitators in an extended question-and-answer segment, exploring themes of access, mentorship, and resilience.
“Everything you need in life, you already have it,” Mr. Owolabi told the students, urging students to see mentors and lecturers around them as an untapped resource.
Professor Yemitan, responding to a question on coping with setbacks, spoke candidly about being denied a visa multiple times as a young graduate. “Always have options in life,” he advised.
A major highlight of the session was the presentation of special awards to Mr. Joseph Opeyemi Owolabi and Professor Omoniyi Yemitan, in recognition of their contributions to the session and their continued support for their alma mater.
From Lecture Room to Boardroom
The “From Lecture Room to Boardroom” initiative is expected to continue its tour across the University’s faculties, strengthening collaboration between UNILAG and its alumni while reinforcing the university’s broader commitment to producing graduates equipped to innovate, lead, and excel.
Report: Lynda Onah
Photographs: Michael Joshua
