From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
Lagos State University (LASU) has concluded plans to honour the former Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) even as Yusuf Aminat Imoitesemeh has dismantled a 40 years academic record of the institution with a 5.00 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).
The Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, made the disclosures on Wednesday, 14th June 2023, at a Press Conference heralding the 26th Convocation Ceremonies of the university.
Professor Olatunji-Bello stated that the immediate past Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola will be conferred with Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (Urban and Rural Community Development and Youth Empowerment.
Other beneficiaries of this year’s convocation awards include Dr. (MRS.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu who will be conferred Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (Child Healthcare, Environmental Development and Women Empowerment); HRM. Oba Alayeluwa Saheed Ademola Elegushi, Kusenla III, he will receive Honorary Doctor of Arts (Broadcasting, Community Integration and Human Rights Advocate); Hon. Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila, Honorary Doctor of Law (Education, Community and National Development); Princess Victoria Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who has been honoured previously by the institution will be honoured with an Appreciation Award, among other awardees.
Giving a breakdown of the students’ academic performance , the Vice Chancellor revealed that this year’s convocation is going to be a combined one which will include 2020/2021 academic session and 20212022 session.
She said “I am proud to announce our best graduating students for the two academic sessions-2020/2021 and 2021/2022 academic sessions in this year’s ceremony.” For 2020/2021 Academic Session, Lopez Feyisayo Divine of the Department of Physiology, Lagos State University College of Medicine is the best graduating student with a CGPA of 4.91. While for the 2021/2022 Academic Session, Yusuf Aminat Imoitesemeh, Law, was the best with CGPA: 5.00.”
Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello also announced that the university will be donating a whopping N.5million to the record breaker Yusuf Aminat Imoitesemeh.
The Vice Chancellor also disclosed that the institution produced a total of 282 first class students in the two academic sessions, being the University’s highest number of first class students in her 40 years history.
Prof Olatunji-Bello also revealed that the institution produced a total of 10,183 first degree students, adding that this include 3,375 Second Class (Upper Division); 5311 Second Class (Lower Division), 1,105 Third Class and 36 students making Pass.
She also revealed that the programmes lined out by the university to mark the 26th Convocation of the institution, include a press conference on Wednesday 14th June 2023; Thursday, 15th June being the second day will witness Convocation Sports Competition for Staff; Day three is the Jumat Service; Day four, a Special Thanksgiving Service; the Coconut Breaking and Cultural Festival on the fifth day will come up on Monday, June 19. There will also be Command Performance and Convocation Play by the Department of Theatre Arts and Music title: Belly-Bellows written by Akinwunmi Ishola and Directed by Yeside Dosunmu-Lawal, the same day.
On the sixth DAY, Tuesday, 20th June, 2023 there will be Convocation Lecture titled: The Impact of Digitalization on Higher Education in the Digital Age. The Convocation Lecturer will be Architect Sonny S.T Echono, Executive Secretary, TETFUND, while the Chairman of the Convocation Lecture will be Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC).
DAY 7, Wednesday, 21st June, 2023 will be the Award of Diplomas, First Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Master’s Degrees, while DAY 8 and final day, Thursday, 22nd June, will be the Award of Doctorate Degrees (PhD), Distinguished Professorship, Conferment of Honorary Doctorate Degrees and Appreciation Award.
Professor Olatunji-Bello utilized the opportunity offered by the press conference to highlight some of the achievements of her one and half years as the Vice Chancellor. She averred that the University was ranked the best State University in Nigeria by the AD Scientific Index in 2022; LASU also secured 96% full accreditation in the 2022 National Universities Commission’s Accreditation Exercise.
She also added that LASU secured and sustained collaborations with top institutions and reputable Bodies within and outside the University, including but not limited to University of Dundee, United Kingdom, the Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, India, Michael Imodu Institute of Labour and Strategic Studies (MINILS), Delta State University, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, amongst others.
She disclosed that within the last three months, the university successfully undertook the NUC Resource Verification exercise for programmes under the following new faculties and school: Faculty of Pharmacy; Faculty of Allied Health Sciences; Faculty of Environmental Sciences and School of Library, Archival and Information Science, adding that “On the strength of our preparation and preliminary reports that we have, we expect nothing but full approval to begin the admission of students for those programmes.”
The Vice Chancellor also reiterated the university’s commitment to reward excellence in the university “As part of our administration’s commitment to encouraging healthy competition among our students in order to bring out the best in them, we gave out scholarships worth 50% of tuition fee to over 600 students who were on CGPA of 4.5 and above. This is a policy that we will continue to sustain.”
