Final Year Celebration: How ‘Final Year Brethren’ Became a Costly Tradition

One Friday in June, Opeyemi Adeleye, a final-year Accounting student at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), wore a white shirt her friends had written on with markers as she posed for photos. Ms Adeleye and her classmates had just finished their final exams, and they were overjoyed. They danced, laughed, and wrote their names and nicknames on each other’s new 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.”

This event is called a “signing out ceremony.” It is part of the Final Year Brethren (FYB) celebration, which is becoming more popular among Nigerian students.

“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.”

Growth of FYB on campus

The term “Final Year Brethren” or FYB comes from religious fellowship names. It has turned into a campus culture connected to a student’s final days at school. The activities last a week and include themes like Jersey Day, Cultural Day, Back-to-School Day, Costume Day, an Owambe party, and the traditional sign-out day.

For many finalists, joining FYB activities is more than just wearing nice clothes. It is a way to show survival, resilience, and friendship. It allows them to appreciate the late nights and sacrifices that brought them to graduation.

“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 start as the well-organised events we see now. On many Nigerian campuses, informal sign-out activities were simple. Students gathered with friends, signed white T-shirts, took pictures, and shared meals. Over time, these get-togethers grew into structured social traditions with matching outfits, dinners, media coverage, and souvenirs, often organised by departments and student groups.

The cost of belonging

Students told Campus Reporter that they plan these events carefully. Deborah Promise, a member of the organising committee for the English and Literary Studies department at FUOYE, said each student paid ₦35,000 for the event.

Ms Promise explained 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 did not pay, she said it did not affect the event’s success. “It didn’t really affect our plan because we worked with the number of people who paid,” she said.

But many students feel financial pressure during this time. One FUOYE finalist, Sofiat Olalekan, explained how she struggled to balance studies and several side jobs. She worked as a sales representative at a gym while attending classes, and she also faced graduation fees.

As FYB celebrations grow, students deal with academic stress and the financial demands of the events. Ms Adeleye, who paid ₦27,000, mentioned that she had to save in small amounts to afford the fees.

For Roqeebah Shittu, a Medical Laboratory Science student at FUOYE, the ₦60,000 fee was a big 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 join in despite their tight 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.

Balancing celebration and burden

Adio Iyanuoluwa, the FUOYE Student Union Government (SUG) President, described the FYB as a nice way to celebrate graduation but acknowledged the fees' impact. He suggested moving to single-day events, like “Ojude FUOYE,” based on the traditional Ijebu Ojude Oba festival, as a more affordable and inclusive option.

“FYB, as a celebration, without excessively taxing students, is a nice way to celebrate graduation. It also helps 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.”