The University of Benin Alumni Association Worldwide (UBAA) has reaffirmed its dedication to the growth and transformation of the institution, as members turned out in large numbers with generous donations and bold commitments to major development projects during the 2025 Global Homecoming. The colorful event, held at the Indoor Sports Hall of the university, showcased the renewed passion of UNIBEN alumni to make the institution self-sustaining while enhancing its learning and living environment for thousands of students.
Chaired by Engr. Abubakar Momoh, Minister for Regional Development, and ably represented by Engr. Okodugha Dauda Aluyah, the gathering underscored the power of alumni influence in repositioning the university. Aluyah, also the Vice President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, urged former students to deploy their diversity, networks, and professional positions to drive urgently needed development. He emphasized that giving back to UNIBEN is a responsibility that the alumni cannot neglect, considering the life-changing opportunities the university provided them.
In a compelling keynote address, Ambassador (Dr.) Kingsley Obasohan, Director General of the European African Chamber of Commerce and Industries (EACCI) and a proud UNIBEN law graduate, recounted how the institution shaped his global relevance. He applauded the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Edoba B Omoregie SAN, for the academic discipline and values he imparted during his days as Head of Department.
Dr. Obasohan called on alumni worldwide to rally around the university through donations, collaborations, and innovative projects. Earlier, Prof. Omoregie—UNIBEN’s first alumnus to become Vice Chancellor—commended UBAA for its consistent support. He appealed to more graduates to join the association, stressing that a united alumni community remains vital to the rapid development of the institution.
UBAA President, Mr. Emmanuel Oriazuwa, a Lagos-based lawyer and developer, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the Homecoming was organized to further stimulate the university’s growth and attract more development-driven alumni.
A major highlight of the well-attended ceremony was the presentation of Distinguished Alumni Awards to distinguished personalities, including Prof. Edoba B. Omoregie (SAN), Amb. (Dr.) Obasohan, Mrs. Oremeyi Akah of Interswitch Group, His Imperial Majesty Prof. Fonkem Achankeng I of Cameroon, Dr. Loretta Oduware Ogboro-Okor, HRM (Dr.) Joseph A. Aghagba, Chukwudi Enebeli SAN, Rt. Hon. Jonathan Ukodhiko, and several others.
The event also witnessed substantial donations and project pledges. Amb. Obasohan announced a donation of books valued at ₦50 million to the university library, alongside plans to construct a 5,000-capacity hostel, a five-star hotel, and an electric car assembly plant within the UNIBEN campus. These commitments prompted a joint visitation by EACCI and the alumni association to designated project sites the following day.
The 2025 Global Homecoming has been widely celebrated as a landmark moment—one that rekindled alumni pride, strengthened bonds, and set UNIBEN on a trajectory of renewed growth and transformation.