Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has presented a cash reward of ₦10 million to Miss Isioma Sybil Nwosu, the overall best graduating student of Lagos State University (LASU) for the 2022/2023 academic session. Nwosu, who studied Biochemistry in the Faculty of Science, achieved an exceptional Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.93.
The announcement was made during LASU’s 28th Convocation Ceremony held at the Buba Marwa Auditorium on the university’s Ojo campus. Governor Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, commended Nwosu for her outstanding academic performance and urged other students to emulate her dedication to excellence.
The convocation ceremony was a grand affair that saw the university confer various honors, including:
- Honorary Doctorates awarded to:
- Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd), Chairman/CEO of NDLEA – Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa)
- Otunba Olufemi Pedro, former Lagos State Deputy Governor – Doctor of Business (Honoris Causa)
- Distinguished Professorship conferred on Prof. Joseph Abayomi Omoniyi Olagunju
In his address, Governor Sanwo-Olu emphasized the critical importance of education in national development, stating: “Education is the backbone of our society. We must foster a culture that values knowledge and innovation just as much as success in entertainment, fashion, or sports.” He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to educational development through initiatives like the Job Initiative Lagos (JIL) which enhances graduate employability.
LASU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello reported significant institutional achievements, including:
- Accreditation of 43 out of 44 academic programs during the October-November 2023 exercise
- Launch of new postgraduate diploma and master’s programs under the Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education
- First-ever international student enrollment in these new programs
The university graduated a total of 11,917 students across various programs:
- 971 Diploma certificates
- 8,711 First degrees
- 2,235 Postgraduate degrees (including 302 Postgraduate Diplomas, 1,132 Academic Masters, 639 Professional Masters, 125 PhDs, and 37 Professional Doctoral Degrees)
The Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Gbolahan Elias (SAN), charged the new graduates to be worthy