Appeal Court Gives University Of Ibadan 48 Hours To Resolve Dispute With Student Over Withheld Master’s Degree

According to Ireporter Online, the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan Division has directed the University of Ibadan and nine other respondents to immediately engage in reconciliation efforts with a postgraduate student, Kayode Bello, over the controversy surrounding his withheld master’s degree.

The directive, contained in an official court correspondence dated June 29, 2026, was issued during proceedings in an appeal marked CA/IB/427/2025. The document, referenced CA/IB/MBA/VOL.II/63, was signed by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, Maryam Belgore Ahmed, and addressed to the Registrar of the University of Ibadan.

The dispute stems from allegations that the university obstructed Mr. Bello’s access to his postgraduate student portal, effectively preventing him from completing his graduation process. The student had earlier secured judgment at the Federal High Court in Ibadan, which ordered the institution to restore his portal and allow him to graduate. However, the university and other parties reportedly failed to comply and instead escalated the matter to the Court of Appeal.

When the matter came before a three-member panel led by Justice Abraham George, alongside Justices Binta F. Zubairu and Fadawu Umaru, the court declined to allow the dispute to prolong further, directing both parties to pursue an amicable resolution through mediation.

The appellate court ordered representatives of the University of Ibadan and the respondent, Mr. Bello, to meet with the Deputy Chief Registrar to establish terms for an out-of-court settlement. The court further imposed a strict 48-hour deadline, mandating that the meeting must hold on or before July 1, 2026.

The correspondence also indicated that the mediation session has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 2:00 PM, at the office of the Deputy Chief Registrar within the Court of Appeal complex in Adeoyo, off Ring Road, Ibadan.

The court warned all parties to comply strictly with the directive and adjourned the case until July 3, 2026, for a report on the outcome of the settlement discussions, noting that failure to reach an agreement would result in the continuation of hearing of pending applications.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that the Federal High Court in Ibadan had earlier ruled in a related matter involving the University of Ibadan, ordering the reinstatement of students previously suspended over protests against tuition fee increases, citing violations of their right to fair hearing.