Sanwo-Olu rewards LASU’s best graduating student with N10m cash prize

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday personally gave the best graduating student of Lagos State University (LASU), Miss Aminat Imoitesemeh Yusuf a cash prize of N5 million for her brilliance.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also announced an additional prize of N5 million from the Lagos State Government to reward the 23-year-old fresh Law graduate’s unprecedented feat.

Miss Yusuf graduated from the Lagos State University (LASU) as the institution’s best student of all time, with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0 on a scale of 5.0, becoming the school’s valedictorian at its 26th convocation held at Ojo campus on Thursday.

The graduation ceremony also marked the 40th anniversary of the establishment of LASU during which ex-Lagos Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola; Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and First Lady of Lagos, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees alongside seven eminent Nigerians.

Speaking during the ceremony, Governor Sanwo-Olu hailed Lagos State University for being steadfast in its commitment to providing high quality graduates and skilled manpower to meet socio-economic needs of the State and the country, noting that LASU had recorded a catalogue of achievements and recognition both locally and globally.

The Governor commended the school leadership team led by the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, whom he described as “a competent, administration-savvy academic”, for maintaining uninterrupted academic sessions, and also for promoting research and teaching in line with global best standards.

He said: “Attaining 40 years of excellence is no mean feat for a university that has uninterruptedly pursued rigorous academic research and teaching in line with global best standards. I congratulate the university for remaining steadfast in its commitment to the provision of a high standard of education which has produced highly skilled men and women over the years. This becomes more significant as the convocation coincides with the 40th anniversary of this great institution, which has continued to live up to the expectations of its founding fathers.

“I congratulate all the graduating students who chose LASU as their institution of choice and have gone through a robust academic training.Today’s occasion is a milestone achievement in your career and a sacrifice, which demonstrates your eagerness to positively impact and contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of this great nation. I urge you all to be worthy ambassadors of this great citadel of learning, while also enjoining you to establish your resilience in the face of the challenges you will experience. I have absolute conviction that you will make us all proud.”

Sanwo-Olu said his administration was not unaware of the need to continually improve on quality benchmarks set by the school, assuring more support for the university towards sustaining the standards and improving its academic profile in order to compete on a global stage.

The Governor pledged his commitment to the aspirations of the school’s founding fathers, promising more financial commitment to surpass the past gains and set a new narrative for the institution.

Sanwo-Olu also disclosed that legacy projects his administration initiated on the campus were at different stages of completion. They
include university main library, Faculty of Education annex, Faculty of Management Sciences building, Lagos State University Technology Hub and modern hostel facilities.