BY FOLASHADE SHIYANBOLA
THE Lagos State University, Ojo, graduated 76 First Class students at its 24th convocation ceremony held on Wednesday.
The First-Class students cut across all faculties, with Oladimeji Idris Shotunde, an indigene of Ogun State from the Department of Business Administraton, Faculty of Management Science, emerging the best graduating with a CGPA of 4.95, and setting a new record in the history of the university.
Also setting a new record for the Post Graduate School, was Olusola Aanu Olabanjo who had a CGPA of 5.0 and graduated as the best MSc student.
Speaking at the Convocation ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun, said the convocation ceremony was quite remarkable because the best graduating students at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels set a new university record.
“Oladimeji ldris SHOTUNDE of the Department of Business Administration graduated as the best graduating student with a CGPA of 4.95 while Olusola Aanu Olabanjo, with a CGPA of 5.0, graduated as the best MSc student,” he said.
Commending their efforts in achieving the great feat, he said they had demonstrated to the world that, truly, students from the university were of world class standard and could stand toe to toe with their colleagues from anywhere in the world.
He said, “I congratulate all of our students, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, who are being awarded various degrees at this year’s convocation ceremony, after being found worthy in both character and learning.
“I commend you all for your hard work, tenacity, resilience and determination to succeed. You demonstrated to the world during your studentship that the best can come out of our institution. My advice to you all is not to rest on your oars. Go out there and prove to the world that you are the best. Always remember that line of our anthem which says ‘Blaze forth, shine for humanity.'”
Speaking on his tenure in the last five years, Fagbohun who will be leaving office as the Vice-Chancellor of the university, said his stewardship in the last four years and eleven months was quite intriguing and at the same time interesting.
He said, “This is my fifth and final convocation speech as the Vice Chancellor of this great Institution and it is a great honour and privilege that we are all integral part of the success we are celebrating today.
“Aside (from) the challenges that came with COVlD-19, our institution has not witnessed downtime in academic activities as a result of any local crisis since January, 2016. The result is that we have had unbroken annual convocation ceremonies from then till date.
“This is particularly thrilling for me because convocation ceremonies cap all activities for the year and it provides an avenue for us as an institution to enumerate and showcase our achievements in the year as well as unleash fresh minds to the world, for them to chart a course and start their own life of contributing their quota to national development.”
Fagbohun added, “It does not seem that long that I stood here and solicited the cooperation, support and understanding of all critical stakeholders for us to collectively raise the profile of our institution to enable her unleash her potentials and make true the dreams and aspirations of our founding fathers, whose passion was to have this institution educate young men and women and nurture them to become responsible adults who will positively impact on the society.
“Although five years ought to be enough time to get to grips with the challenges of any job, the role of Vice Chancellor has continued to test and motivate me.
“I have cherished being part of a unique community of inquisitive and creative men and women from our world class students, to faculty members, non-academic colleagues, enthusiastic and committed ‘alumni scattered across the world, awesome members of Management, high flying leaders that constitute our Governing Council, highly committed government functionaries and immensely supportive legislators.”
