Graduates must become job creators, not job seekers, don tells Babcock varsity students

By Sandra Ikegwuruka

Graduating students of Babcock University have been urged to embrace innovation, resilience and ethical entrepreneurship to become job creators rather than job seekers in an increasingly competitive global economy.

The advice was given by the incoming Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Professor Adejoke Oyewunmi, while delivering the 2026 Undergraduate Convocation Lecture to the university’s NOVA Class of 2026 at the institution’s Amphitheatre in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

Speaking on the theme, “Renaissance Mindset: Innovating Your Identity and Enterprise,” Oyewunmi challenged the graduating students to adopt what she described as a “Renaissance Mindset” by positioning themselves as solution providers capable of creating value in a rapidly changing world.

According to her, graduation marks the beginning of a new phase in life that requires continuous learning, innovation and purposeful leadership.

“There are two pages in the life of every graduate, the student page and the blank page of a new mind and new identity. The future belongs to those who create value, not those who merely consume it,” she said.

The legal scholar described a renaissance mindset as one that transforms uncertainty into opportunity, stressing that innovation is not limited to technology professionals but is a way of thinking that enables people across different fields to solve real-life problems.

“Uncertainty is not the opposite of intelligence; it is the terrain on which intelligence is built,” she added, urging the graduates to see disruption as an opportunity for creativity and enterprise.

Oyewunmi identified lifelong learning, resilience and digital literacy as critical qualities for success in today’s world, encouraging the graduates to continuously reinvent themselves instead of allowing circumstances to define their future.

She also advised them to cultivate curiosity, build strategic networks, learn from failure and pursue financial success without compromising ethical standards.

“Do not build your financial security on the exploitation of others. Build honestly, lead with conscience and let enterprise create value beyond yourself,” she charged.

Speaking on the growing influence of artificial intelligence, Oyewunmi said AI should be seen as a tool that enhances human creativity rather than a threat, noting that imagination, sound judgment and ethical leadership remain uniquely human qualities.

She concluded by urging the graduates to make innovation a daily habit.

“The canvas is waiting to be painted with your innovative ideas. Practice innovation as a daily discipline. Never allow fear to limit your growth, because disruption is not your enemy; it is the fertile ground upon which innovation is born,” she said.

The lecture was one of the highlights of activities marking Babcock University’s 2026 Undergraduate Convocation, aimed at equipping graduates with the skills and mindset required for leadership, entrepreneurship and responsible citizenship.