By Adesina Wahab
The 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies of the Lagos State University, LASU,Ojo turned out to be a glorious way to celebrate the impactful five-year tenure of Distinguished Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, the outgoing Vice Chancellor of the institution. The event marked a historic milestone for the university and was also a testament to the unwavering commitment to academic stability, institutional resilience and continuous advancement brought into the system by Olatunji-Bello.
Regular activities that featured in the almost one-week event included: Convocation Staff Sports Competition, Coconut Breaking and Cultural Day usually organized by the Alumni Association, Jumat Service, Thanksgiving Service, awards of diplomas, first degrees, postgraduate degrees, honorary degrees, convocation lecture, etc. As part of the event, two eminent professors, Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello and Rafiu Olaoluwa Okuneye were made distinguished professors by the Senate of LASU.
A novel event introduced was the Staff Celebration Day held at the Buba Marwa Auditorium. The colourful event brought together academic and non-teaching staff of the institution for an afternoon of celebration, cultural displays, music, dance and recognition of outstanding staff members whose dedication has contributed to the growth and success of the university.
Dressed in vibrant traditional attires representing different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, staff members turned the auditorium into a rich showcase of Nigeria’s cultural heritage, while cultural performances and presentations added excitement to the historic gathering.
In her address, Olatunji-Bello described the occasion as a landmark moment in the annals of LASU, noting that it was the first time a special day had been deliberately set aside during convocation activities to celebrate members of staff.
“Today is truly a remarkable day in the annals of our great University. For the first time in the history of Lagos State University, we have deliberately set aside a special day during our Convocation activities to celebrate the men and women whose dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment sustain the vision and mission of this institution,” she said.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the celebration was not merely about colourful attires, but about appreciating the university’s collective identity, diversity and shared commitment to excellence.
According to her, LASU’s strength lies in its ability to bring together people from different ethnic backgrounds, professional disciplines, cultures, and experiences, all united by a common purpose of building a university that remains a beacon of academic excellence, innovation and service to humanity.
Prof. Olatunji-Bello paid tribute to every category of staff in the university, including academic staff, administrators, technologists, librarians, healthcare personnel, security officers and other support staff, stressing that the successes being celebrated during the convocation season were products of their collective labour.
The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted the presentation of the LASU Gold Award for Distinguished Service, which was conferred on selected staff members whose contributions to the institution have been exceptional.
“The mere fact that you were worthy of participating in the process shows the remarkable impact you have made in your service to this great university,” she told both award recipients and nominees.
She commended members of the Awards Committee and the University Ceremonies Committee for their hard work in organising the event and prayed for renewed strength, unity, and inspiration for all staff members.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Oluwatoyin Enikuomehin, described the celebration as “special” and “the first of its kind in the history of the university.”
He said the occasion provided an opportunity for staff members to showcase the rich cultural diversity that exists within the LASU community. “We come from different backgrounds, speak different languages, and practice different traditions, but we are all united by one institution and we all share an identity called Lagos State University,” he said.
Three eminent Nigerians were also given honorary doctoral degrees. They are: Mr. Akin Kekere-Ekun OFR, – Doctor of Business Honoris Causa (Entrepreneurship Finance Management); Mrs. Harriet-Ann Omobola (Bola) Adesola -Doctor of Business Honoris Causa (Corporate Finance and Governance) and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON, – Doctor of Business Honoris Causa (Entrepreneurship Industrial & Human Capital Development).
Since all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, staff members of the university also took part in the Staff Convocation Games. At the end of the day, Ojo Team came first with 10 Gold, 8 Silver and 4 Bronze Medals, Epe Team came second with 8 Gold, 7 Silver and 10 Bronze Medals, Badagry Team came third with 5 Gold, 5 Silver and 9 Bronze Medals and Ikeja Team clinching the fourth position with 2 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze Medals.
For the 2024/2025 academic session, a total 947 Diploma students graduated with 65 Distinction, 521 Upper credit, 354 lower credit and 7 passes.
For the First Degree Programmes, of the 7,621 students who graduated, 262 came out with First Class honours, 106 with Unclassified (MBBS/BDS) Degrees. 3,155 graduated with Second Class Upper Division, 3,439 with Second Class Lower Division, 622 with Third Class and 37 with a pass.
But Ayilara Lawal Olawale of the Project Management Department with a CGPA of 4.96 (First Class Honours) emerged overall best graduating student.
For the 2025/2026 Academic Session, a total of 44 Diploma students graduated. The breakdown showed 33 in Upper credit and 11 lower credit categories.
For the First Degrees for 2025/2026 Academic session, of the 8,653 students who graduated, 232 came out with First Class honours, 3,545 graduated with Second Class Upper Division, 4,157 with Second Class Lower Division, 678 with Third Class and 31 with a pass.
Also, Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide of the Aerospace Engineering Department with a CGPA of 4.97 (First Class Honours) was the overall best graduating student.
For higher degree programmes for the two sessions, out of the 3,383 Graduating Postgraduate students, 618 were for Postgraduate Diplomas, 1,508 Academic Masters degrees, 900 Professional Masters degrees, 238 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degrees and 119 Professional doctoral degrees. Overall, the university graduated a total of 20,604 students across the two academic sessions.
The colorful celebrations turned out to be a perfect and memorable sign out for the outgoing Vice Chancellor after five years of heading the most subscribed university in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in the country.
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