The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has turbaned former Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Registrar, Professor Emeritus Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, as Kuliyan Sokoto, recognising his contributions to education, Islamic affairs and public service in Nigeria.
The ceremony took place at the Sultan’s Palace in Sokoto on Sunday, 1 November 2026, with traditional rulers, academics, religious leaders and government officials in attendance. A reception followed at the Command Guest House in the state capital.
Oloyede, who hails from Egbaland in Ogun State, said the honour brought together important aspects of his religious and cultural identity. Speaking after the turbaning, he expressed gratitude to the Sultan and the people of Sokoto, describing the appointment as a responsibility rather than merely a personal distinction.
The former JAMB chief noted that the Sultan also serves as President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, giving the title both traditional and religious significance. Oloyede is himself Secretary-General of the council, a national body representing Muslim interests.
The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, sent a goodwill message through retired Navy Captain AbdulRasheed Raji. The message commended Oloyede’s record in higher education and public administration, including his service as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin and his subsequent leadership of JAMB.
His recognition by the Sokoto Sultanate attracted particular attention because of his Yoruba heritage. The honour places a prominent scholar from southwestern Nigeria within the traditional title system of one of the country’s best-known northern institutions.
Professor Yusuf Ali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who holds the title Kuliyan of Ilorin, welcomed the conferment as an example of cooperation across Nigeria’s ethnic and regional communities. Former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Ishola, also spoke about Oloyede’s academic and administrative record.
The current JAMB Registrar, Professor Segun Aina, congratulated his predecessor on behalf of the examination body. He said the honour reflected recognition of Oloyede’s contributions beyond the institutions and communities where he had previously served.
Speaking for the family, Professor Abdulkarim Oloyede described the title as an amanah, an Arabic term referring to a trust or responsibility. He thanked the Sultanate Council, the Sokoto State Government and the people of Sokoto for their reception of the family.
Oloyede previously served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin from 2007 to 2012. The university’s current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, also issued a congratulatory statement following Sunday’s ceremony.
In the statement released through the university’s Directorate of Corporate Affairs, Egbewole said the appointment recognised Oloyede’s work in educational development, community service and public administration. He also congratulated the Sultan on the twentieth anniversary of his accession to the Sokoto throne.
The Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union separately welcomed the appointment. Its leadership described the former vice-chancellor as a public servant whose career had connected educational and religious institutions across different parts of the country.
The turbaning was part of a wider ceremony at which the Sultan conferred traditional titles on several other personalities. Among those honoured were members of the Sultan’s family, academics and community figures, according to accounts of the event.
With the formal ceremony completed, Oloyede assumes the responsibilities associated with Kuliyan Sokoto while continuing his involvement in national Islamic affairs and public life.
Featured image: File photograph of Professor Is-haq Oloyede, PUNCH Newspapers, August 2026. This is not a photograph of the 1 November turbaning ceremony. Source: PUNCH. Background and institutional confirmation: University of Ilorin.
