The best-graduating student for the class of 2021-2022 at Lagos State University (LASU), Miss Aminat Imoitesemeh Yusuf, received a monetary award of N5 million on Thursday from Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
A further N5 million award from the Lagos State Government was also announced by Governor Sanwo-Olu as a reward for the 23-year-old recent law graduate’s extraordinary achievement.
With a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 5.0 on a scale of 5.0, Miss Yusuf graduated from Lagos State University (LASU) as the institution’s top student of all time and was named the school’s valedictorian at its 26th convocation on Thursday at the Ojo campus.
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 received honorary doctorate degrees at the graduation ceremony, which also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the founding of LASU.
During the ceremony, Governor Sanwo-Olu praised Lagos State University for its unwavering dedication to producing skilled workers and graduates of the highest calibre to meet the socioeconomic needs of the state and the nation. He also noted that LASU had amassed a long list of accomplishments and recognition both locally and internationally.
The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, whom the Governor praised as “a competent, administration-savvy academic,” led the school leadership team. The governor praised the team for maintaining uninterrupted academic sessions and for encouraging research and teaching based on international best practices.
Sanwo-Olu assured additional support for the university’s efforts to maintain standards and raise its academic image so that it can compete on a worldwide scale by claiming that his administration was conscious of the need to always improve on quality benchmarks set by the institution.
The governor vowed to uphold the goals of the school’s founders, promising to invest more money in outpacing previous successes and creating a new narrative for the organisation.
It was the second convocation Prof. Olatunji-Bello presided over while serving as Vice-Chancellor.
The VC called the event “symbolic,” which, she claimed, offered the graduates a sense of satisfaction and pride after being recognised for their worth in learning and character.
The VC emphasised that the university had made its mark on education and had cause to be proud of its successes over the last four decades, saying the tertiary institution had met the fundamental principles of its establishment 40 years later.
10,966 students from the school’s 12 faculties graduated in total, with 282 receiving a First Class, 3,375 receiving a Second Class (Upper Division), 5,311 receiving a Second Class (Lower Division), and 1,105 finishing with a Pass. Additionally, 133 candidates received doctorate degrees, and 1,801 received master’s degrees and post-graduate diploma certificates.
According to Ojo Aminat Yusuf, her achievement was largely due to hard work, the correct advice from her professors, and God’s direction.
“For most of my days as an undergraduate, I lived on the university premises because I had no hostel, and going home every day would have been inconvenient.
“The school had a stand-by security and standard lighting system, so it was safe for me; my major challenge was having to attend lectures every day in a neatly ironed white and black dress, acting like everything was perfect,” Yusuf said.
She also spoke on her first day in LASU for the physical screening for admission into the diploma in law programme.
“I remember fantasising about achieving a remarkable feat at this prestigious university.
“I first did the Diploma in Law programme, which runs for two years and in which students are taught compulsory law courses, to offer direct entry admission to top-class students.
“I studied hard and prayed so fervently towards achieving excellence; I graduated from the programme with a CGPA of 4.98, and this was the best in my set.
“The possibility of graduating with such a grade motivated the yearning to graduate with a perfect CGPA at the undergraduate level,” Yusuf said.
She called on well-meaning Nigerians to invest in the education sector and lauded the passing into law of the Student Loan Act in the country.
“I believe this will no doubt be of immeasurable value to our education system.
“While I struggled financially through my education, I don’t desire such hardship for students coming behind us, especially the female students,” Yusuf said.
She appreciated the LASU management for sustaining the congenial and conducive environment that contributed to her excellent performance.
“I am deeply grateful to my parents for their sacrifice and unwavering support for my education.
“My parents motivated me with their different careers; my father is a journalist while my mother is a businesswoman.
“Thanks to my faculty lecturers for their reflex of excellence, commitment, and dedication in teaching us to be the best.
“I will like to use this opportunity to launch a YouTube channel tagged “Learning Law with Aminat* to give back to society through my immediate community,” Yusuf said.
