Adebanjo Oluolamide, LASU’s best graduating student for 2025/2026, received ₦10m from the Sunbeth Excellence Partnership Programme before Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced another ₦20m at the university’s convocation.

A 4.97 Cumulative Grade Point Average  (CGPA) out of a possible 5.00 has earned a Lagos State University (LASU) graduate, Adebanjo Oluolamide, ₦30 million in two cash awards.

Oluolamide, who graduated with First-Class Honours in Aerospace Engineering, was named LASU’s overall best graduating student for the 2025/2026 academic session.

His financial reward began during the university’s 29th and 30th combined convocation held on Monday at the Olatunji Bello Auditorium, Epe Campus where he received ₦10 million from the Sunbeth Excellence Partnership Programme (SEPP) for his outstanding academic performance.

On Wednesday, at LASU’s combined 29th and 30th convocation ceremonies for post graduate students, the Lagos State Governor and Visitor to the university, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced another ₦20 million for him; bringing Oluolamide’s total cash prize to ₦30 million.

Ayilara Olawale of the Department of Project Management was named the overall best graduating student for the 2024/2025 session after completing his programme with First-Class Honours and a 4.96 CGPA. He also received a ₦20 million prize from the governor.

Their achievements were among the highlights of the university’s combined convocation ceremonies for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.

20,604 students graduate as LASU marks VC’s final convocation

The ceremony marked the fifth and final convocation of LASU Vice Chancellor, Ibiye­mi Olatunji-Bello, a professor of physiology whose five-year tenure is expected to end in less than a month. She assumed office as the university’s ninth substantive VC on 20 September 2021.

Mrs Olatunji-Bello announced that 20,604 students graduated across diploma, first-degree and higher-degree programmes for the combined 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.

Of the graduating students, 494 earned First Class honours, with 262 coming from the 2024/2025 academic session and 232 from the 2025/2026 session.

Reflecting on her administration, she said it inherited a university with strong potential and is leaving behind an institution she described as more digitally advanced, academically stronger and increasingly prominent in Africa’s higher education landscape.

Sanwo-Olu urges graduates to look beyond their degrees

While recognising the academic achievements of the graduating students, Mr Sanwo-Olu urged them not to see their degrees as an end in themselves.

He said university education should serve as a foundation for service, competence and character. “Degrees can open doors, but only service builds your name,” the governor said.

He noted that the graduates had made sacrifices to complete their education, with some combining work and study and others continuing their education despite difficult personal circumstances.

Mr Sanwo-Olu urged them to become worthy ambassadors of LASU, Lagos State and Nigeria wherever their careers take them.

Olatunji-Bello highlights five years of LASU’s growth

The Vice Chancellor said her administration had focused on six strategic areas including: academic excellence, research and innovation, infrastructure, financial sustainability,  staff and student welfare, sports and recreation.

Mrs Olatunji-Bello said LASU’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) rose from ₦3 billion in September 2021 to ₦13 billion in September 2025, representing more than fourfold growth in four years. “I am proud to report that between September 2021 and September 2025, we grew our IGR from N3billion to N13billion,” she said.

On academic development, she said LASU secured full accreditation for 31 of the 37 programmes presented during the first accreditation exercise under her administration, while 43 of 44 programmes presented in a subsequent exercise also received full accreditation.

She added that 17 new programmes received full accreditation in 2026, while four faculties and two schools were established to accommodate more than 30 new courses.

On research, Mrs Olatunji-Bello said the university introduced a ₦5 million internal research grant, while its researchers secured ₦29 million in grants from the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).

LASU honours Kekere-Ekun, Adesola, Dangote

The Governing Council of LASU, upon the recommendation of the Senate conferred on honorary doctorate degrees on three prominent Nigerians during the convocation.

They were a renowned banker and technocrat, Akin Kekere-Ekun; corporate executive, Harriet-Ann Adesola; and renowned Nigerian business magnate, industrialist and philanthropist, Aliko Dangote.

Mr Kekere-Ekun received a Degree, Doctor of Business (Entrepreneurship, Finance and Management) Honoris Causa; Mrs Adesola was honoured with a Degree, Doctor of Business (Corporate Finance and Governance) Honoris Causa while Mr Dangote received a Degree, Doctor of Business (Entrepreneurship, Industrial and  Human Capital Development (Honoris Causa.

The university said the honourees were recognised for their contributions to national development, scholarship, public service, business and humanity.

Earlier on Monday, the university conferred the rank of Distinguished Professor on the Vice Chancellor, Mrs Olatunji-Bello, and renowned scholar, Rafiu Okuneye, a professor.

According to the Governing Council, the honour was in recognition of their research efforts, scholarly contributions, and meritorious service to mankind and LASU.

Mr Okuneye, of the Department of Human Kinetics, Sports and Health Education, graduated with First Class from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in 1987. He obtained his MSc and PhD from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in 1988 and 1992, respectively. He became a professor in 2008 and has served as Dean, Head of the Epe Campus and pioneer Director of Quality Assurance. As the national president of the National Association for Physical, Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance (NAPHER.SD), he championed the inclusion of Physical and Health Education in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) from 2022.

Mrs Olatunji-Bello, LASU’s ninth Vice Chancellor, holds BSc, MSc and PhD degrees in Physiology from the University of Ibadan (UI) and the University of Lagos (UNILAG). Since assuming office in 2021, she has overseen LASU’s recognition as the Best University in West Africa in the UI GreenMetric rankings from 2022 to 2025, as well as its emergence as Nigeria’s Most Sought-After University for the 2025/2026 academic session, attracting more than 85,000 applications. She has authored 63 publications and supervised 57 postgraduate students.