Students get engaged at University of Portsmouth graduation ceremony at campus where they first met

Deborah Kabongo, 24, was proposed to by her boyfriend Doyinsola Moses Akintioye.

The 27-year-old got down on one knee during the festivities in Ravelin Park on Friday afternoon.

Deborah, who was celebrating receiving her degree in BSc (Hons) Social Work, said she wasn’t expecting her boyfriend to pop the question.

She said: ‘I was definitely surprised, as I didn't think it would happen this year because he had been hinting subliminally for a long time that it may be next year.

‘I was also a bit confused at how he managed to plan the whole thing without me knowing, especially with the fact that I'm always on his phone.’

The happy couple met on the university campus nine years ago.

They have been dating for almost three years.

Mr Akintioye, originally from Wales, came to Portsmouth to study Petroleum Engineering when he was introduced to Ms Kabongo.

He said: ‘We met in one of the University’s faith led societies, International Fellowship of Christian Students.

‘She was one of the first people I met as soon as I moved here.’

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Mr Akintioye, who graduated in 2018, said he wanted to make his fiancee’s day extra special.

‘I chose the graduation as it was a moment where there would be very little suspicion and that I knew everyone would dress up, including the bride-to-be, with minimum interrogations from friends and family who were invited along,’ he added.

‘Also, as Portsmouth was where we met it felt symbolic and poetic to also get engaged there.’