It was a day of emotion, pride, and purpose as Nigerian global music icon Davido took the podium at Clifford University, Abia State, delivering a moving commencement speech to the graduating class and commissioning a newly built female hostel named after his late mother, Dr. Veronica Imade Adeleke.
Davido
Dressed in a full academic gown and cap, Davido stood before a hall packed with graduates, professors, and dignitaries, his voice steady yet heartfelt. “Standing before the graduating class today, I felt something bigger than music,” he said. “I saw a generation ready to change everything. Talent might open the door, but purpose gives it meaning.”
The moment was deeply personal. As cameras flashed, Davido unveiled the golden plaque bearing his mother’s name, The Dr. Veronica Imade Adeleke Female Hostel Complex, a gesture he described as “a continuation of her purpose, turning love into legacy, one life at a time.”
His words resonated through the crowd: “My mother was a teacher, a giver, a woman who believed education and compassion could change lives. Everything I am — the music, the drive, the heart — came from her.”
In attendance was nightlife mogul Cubana Chief Priest, who electrified the moment by pledging to pay the tuition fees of 50 students. The university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chimezie Omeonu, praised Davido’s contribution to education, lauding his message of empowerment and philanthropy.
The ceremony closed with Davido’s signature mantra echoing through the hall: “We rise by lifting others.”
