A University of Ibadan postgraduate student has accused the Court of Appeal in Ibadan of failing to hear an appeal that has blocked him from graduating, and has called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal to intervene before the institution’s November convocation.
Kayode Bello, who is representing himself, said the university’s appeal against a Federal High Court judgment ordering it to reopen his student portal remains unheard more than a year after it was filed. The case is registered as CA/IB/427/2025.
Bello obtained the judgment on 17 October 2025 from Justice Evelyn Maha. The court directed the University of Ibadan and other defendants to reopen his master’s portal so he could complete the process and receive his certificate. The university and nine other parties appealed the decision and sought a stay of execution. The Federal High Court rejected the stay application and ordered the portal reopened.
According to Bello, the matter came before Justice Georgewill Abraham on 3 July 2026. The judge declined to take the stay application separately and fixed both the application and the substantive appeal for 29 October 2026. On that date the court did not sit. Bello said he received no prior notice and no explanation. He further claimed that an official of the court informed him Justice Abraham was present at the premises that day.
Bello said the continued delay means he cannot participate in the University of Ibadan’s convocation scheduled for 14 to 17 November 2026. He completed his studies in 2024 and has already missed two previous graduation ceremonies. He told the court in July that failure to conclude the appeal before November would cost him a third opportunity.
He has also complained about the conduct of mediation proceedings. In a formal complaint submitted on 3 July 2026, Bello accused the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Mrs Belgore Maryam Ahmed, of bias against him. The mediation failed. He later wrote separately to Justice Abraham and the Deputy Chief Registrar requesting an urgent hearing date ahead of the convocation. He said neither official responded.
In a separate allegation, Bello claimed that Mrs Toluwalase Omosola, an assistant registrar in the university’s legal unit, made a disparaging remark suggesting he could spend years at the institution without achieving anything. He wrote to her on 5 November 2026 seeking a response within 24 hours and said none was received.
Bello said he decided to make the matter public because the prolonged litigation has left him unable to benefit from the judgment in his favour while the university faces no comparable pressure. He urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal to ensure the appeal is given an urgent hearing so that justice is not further delayed.
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