One Friday in June, Opeyemi Adeleye, a final-year Accounting student at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), wore a white shirt that her friends had defaced with marker inscriptions as she smiled brightly and posed for photos. Ms Adeleye and her coursemates had just written their final undergraduate examination, and their joy was boundless. They danced, laughed, and inscribed their names and nicknames on each other’s newly bought white T-shirts.
“It wasn’t an easy journey, but every challenge made the experience more meaningful,” the graduating student told Campus Reporter. “After all the sleepless nights, exams, challenges, and sacrifices, I realised that every effort was worth it.”
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This is a “signing out ceremony”—one of the numerous activities lined up for the Final Year Brethren (FYB) celebration, a culture that is becoming increasingly popular among Nigerian undergraduates.
“My favourite part of the programme was our back-to-school day,” said Omodolapo Lydia, a 400-level History student at FUOYE. “That moment when we sang those secondary school songs joyfully, putting on our school uniform, made me really happy and reminded me of my secondary school days.”
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Growth of FYB on campus
Originally borrowed from religious fellowship registers, the term “Final Year Brethren,” or FYB, has evolved into a campus culture associated with a student’s final days on campus. The activities often span an entire week and include popular themes such as Jersey Day, Cultural Day, Back-to-School Day, Costume Day, an Owambe party, and the traditional sign-out day.
For many finalists, participation in FYB activities is more than just donning stylish attire. It is a public affirmation of survival, resilience, and friendship—an opportunity to appreciate the late nights and sacrifices that brought them to the finish line.
“It’s a chance to connect, make memories, and celebrate how far we’ve all come together,” said Fathia Olamide, a 400-level student of English and Literary Studies at the Ekiti State University (EKSU). “The sense of belonging is part of what makes it special.”
The celebrations did not begin as the highly organised social events seen today. On many Nigerian campuses, informal sign-out activities were once modest: students gathered with friends, signed white T-shirts, took photographs, and shared simple meals. Over time, these gatherings evolved into structured social traditions that included matching outfits, dinners, media publicity, and souvenirs, often organised by departments and student groups.
The cost of belonging
Students told Campus Reporter that they plan these events meticulously. Deborah Promise, a member of the organising committee for the English and Literary Studies department at FUOYE, explained that each student paid ₦35,000 for the event.
Ms Promise noted that the fees covered a sign-out sash, access cards, traditional ofi headgear for the Owambe party, personalised journals, hand fans, and masks for the dinner. While some students opted out, she noted that it did not affect the overall success of the event. “It didn’t really affect our plan because we worked with the number of people who paid,” she said.
However, for many, the season brings significant financial pressure. One FUOYE finalist, Sofiat Olalekan, described struggling to balance academic responsibilities with multiple side jobs to keep up. Throughout her studies, she juggled shifts as a sales representative at a gym while attending classes, only to face the additional financial strain of graduation fees.
With the growing scale of FYB celebrations, students find themselves navigating both academic pressure and the financial expectations attached to the ritual. Ms Adeleye, who paid ₦27,000, noted that she had to save in small increments to afford the fees.
For Roqeebah Shittu, a Medical Laboratory Science student at FUOYE, the ₦60,000 fee was a heavy burden. “FYB is a lifetime memory we will love to treasure,” Ms Shittu said. “But we don’t have to break the bank to do it.”
In a survey conducted for this story in May involving 30 finalists from FUOYE, EKSU, and the University of Lagos (UNILAG), 40 per cent of respondents said the fees were a financial burden. Another 40 per cent admitted they felt pressured to participate despite their limited finances.
“The organisers do not have to add to our financial troubles by making us pay a huge sum of money, all because of FYB,” Ms Shittu added.
READ ALSO: University security personnel in scuffle with students over sign-out ban
Balancing celebration and burden
Adio Iyanuoluwa, the FUOYE Student Union Government (SUG) President, described the FYB as a beautiful way to celebrate graduation but acknowledged the impact of the fees. He recommended transitioning to single-day events, such as “Ojude FUOYE”—modelled after the traditional Ijebu Ojude Oba festival—as a more sustainable and inclusive alternative.
“FYB, as a celebration, without excessively taxing students, is a beautiful way to celebrate graduation. It also aids socialisation and boosts the public image of the university,” he said. “At this point, I believe it is time for this burden to take its leave. Ojude FUOYE is a cheaper, more inclusive way to celebrate. No student will be asked to provide ₦20,000–₦40,000 as FYB fees.”
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