Kunle Adelabu
Residents and major stakeholders in the education sector in Ikorodu, have commended and attributed the unprecedented academic feat achieved by students from the Ikorodu Division area of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, who just graduated from the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, to many factors.
Chiefly among the factors that were said to be responsible for the success are the robust and well – structured educational support in terms of scholarship and bursary which were described as unmatched by any other division or council in the state, organized students’ unionism and the uninterrupted academic calendar by LASU, which the stakeholders said has encouraged scholarship.
At the university’s 26th Convocation ceremony, which commemorated its 40 years existence, over 10 students from Ikorodu, graduated with First Class Honours in various fields of human endeavours being offered by the institution.
10,966 students in disciplines across LASU’s 12 faculties graduated on Friday, June 23, 2023, out of which 282 students bagged First Class; 3,375 graduated with Second Class (Upper Division); 5,311 got Second Class (Lower Division) and 1,105 finished with a Pass.
Also, one hundred and thirty-three candidates were awarded doctorate degrees, while a total of 1,801 got Master’s degrees and post-graduate Diploma certificates.
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Olutosin Taiwo Adedamola Omowunmi, one of the graduating students from Ikorodu, who bagged Master’s of Science (Business Administration), with 5.0 CGPA and Adeseye Omololu Elesho, Master’s in Chemistry with 4.55 CGPA.
Miss Rufai Azeezat Dolamu, student of the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, graduated with 4.72 CGPA, to emerge as the best graduating student in Ikorodu Division. She is the President, Ijede Students’ Union (ISU), while Miss Halima Sulaimon, who graduated from the Micro-Biology Department, Faculty of Science with 4.68 CGPA, is from Igbogbo.
Also, Romoke Ogunlana, the General Secretary, Igbogbo Students’ Union (ISU), also graduated with First Class (4.52 CGPA) from the Department of Education Management, Faculty of Education, Lagos State University (LASU), and Raji Ibrahim T., a resident of lkorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA), graduated from the Department of Accounting Education with 4.69 CGPA.
Also, Anoba Balikis, who studied Sociology, graduated with 4.66 CGPA; Fasanya Hamzat, a graduate of Sociology, scored 4.63 CGPA; Oluwa, Rodiyah Onaopemipo, Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Science, graduated with 4.65 CGPA and Ganiu Ridwan A., studied Mass Communication and graduated with 4.51 CGPA.
To sustain the feat, stakeholders, who spoke with THE IMPACT, said that the Ikorodu community must sustain its laudable educational interventions which, according to them, have propelled and encouraged scholarship.
They also charged that more youth/students’ engagement activities must be encouraged and sustained.
Prof. Okedeyi Sakiru Abiodun, FNIP, an associate Professor and the pioneer Head of Department of Physics, Lagos State University of Education, speaking with THE IMPACT, pointed at numerous interventions by groups and individuals in Ikorodu Division, as a major factor that encouraged students to study very hard to achieve the academic feats.
“Many factors contributed to the success. If you look back to the last 3 years, a lot of interventions in terms of bursary and scholarship from individuals, our political leaders and groups like Distinguished Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group, Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative and others, have been given to the indigent students in the division, to support their studies”, he said.
“All these interventions led to competition and made the students to remain focused and be seriĺous in their studies, because it’s one of the conditions to continue to enjoy the scholarship and bursary awards.
“Also, the activities of various students’ unions in the Division, also add to the success”, he added.
The Associate Professor, who is also the Financial Secretary, Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG), said that the feat can be sustained with more determination on the part of our students, more support from individuals and our political leaders coupled with an enabling environment”, he said.
The Principal, Lagos State University International School, Alhaji Taiwo Odumbo, who also spoke with our reporter on the academic excellence celebrated across the division, described the large number of students that made First Class Honours, as historic.
He said that the enabling environment and smooth academic calendar are major factors that brought about the excellence performances by students in the Division, and others in the state.
“While I want to appreciate and extend gratitude to all Ikorodu sons and daughters for making us proud in the just concluded LASU convocation ceremony, I think it is also very important to observe that 282 students made first class”, Alhaji Odumbo said.
“This is historic because the feat is the first of its kind in LASU’s history. This implies general performance across board and divisions. I want to attribute this success to stability in the LASU’s academic calendar for over 7 years. Lagos State University remains the only University in the south west that has never experienced any academic interruption for close to a decade. The effects are what we are seeing today”, he stated.
In sustaining the feat, the educationist corobarated Prof. Okedeyi’s statements by charging that various scholarship and bursary awards should be sustained and that job opportunities should be provided for the brilliant graduates.
“Going forward, all major stakeholders in the Ikorodu division, must stand firm and ensure that the feats achieved by our illustrious sons and daughters are sustained through continuous scholarships, mentorship and provision of job opportunities for them”, he pleaded.
“I must also appreciate all Ikorodu division public figures in LASU, both academics and non -academics, for standing by all these children at all times of need.
“We are LASU, we are Great”.
Comrade Kazeem Ogunmuyiwa, President, Igbogbo Youth Coalition (IYC), also commenting on the feat achieved by students from Ikorodu Division, said:
“Kudos to Igbogbo Students’ Union – an organization established to sustain learning and leadership development for all students (from Senior Secondary School to tertiary institution level) in Igbogbo Kingdom. The body has been engaging in various commendable activities”, he said.
“It is important to state that bursary, scholarship, as well as support from elders, helped the kingdom to realize significant success in the education pursuit of her people. Today, we are proud to identify ourselves with our brothers and sisters of excellence. They are free to ‘sashay’ as they like, while that they should keep their heads high to aim the space above.
“Also, undying thirst of parents for education, as well as moral parenting and healthy educational competitions in the community, are other factors encouraging sacred dedication and commitment by Igbogbo students to strive for academic excellence”, he added.
The IYC President also stated that mentorship, provision of jobs for the students with First Class and positive engagements among others, must be in place to further encourage others to achieve same feat and also sustain the tempo.
“To encourage more of this feat and sustain academic excellence, there is need for adequate mentorship for the recently graduated students and hunting for job opportunities for these remarkable individuals”, he said.
“Also, there is a need for in-and-out activities to encourage undergraduates and secondary school students to always sit tall, and stand firm to surmount any challenge in their way to achieve an exceptional academic record”.
Comrade Ogunmuyiwa, who is also the State Trustee, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), in his own remarks, said that the IYC will add other engaging activities to its annual calendar.
“Follow up and annual seminars will be incorporated into our activities to ensure that our students are doing well in school, are not derailed from the morality of life, and launching rigorous practice to achieve best grades at the end of their learning span”, he added.
The Co – Coordinator, Concerned Ikorodu Division Youth (CIDY) and General Secretary, Ikorodu Heroes, Mr Oke Godwin OlaOluwa, commended the Ikorodu students in setting a high academic standard.
“It is commendable that our students are blazing the trail and setting new standards in academic excellence. I want to implore the community stakeholders to reward these students and appreciate them for their efforts”, he said.
“This is something I am impressed about, that at this time when there are complaints about the poor reading culture of our youths, some youths still defy the norms and raise high above shoulders in academic excellence”.
He called on the government to renovate public libraries to encourage students’ reading culture.
“I would like to use the opportunity to call on the government to renovate our community libraries, for the use of our youths”, he charged.
Mr Seun Elesho, General Secretary, IKODASS Scholarship Board, pointed to the continuous investment by the Lagos State Government in LASU, and community interventions through scholarship and bursary awards, as reasons for the feat.
“One of the major things that have resulted in the students graduating in flying colours cannot be disconnected from the massive investment of the state government in the continuous academic activities of LASU. You will recall that LASU students and lectures have not embarked on any form of industrial action in the last 6 years”, he said.
“Importantly, too, you will notice that the Ikorodu Division generally, has shown particular interest in the education of its people with over 5 major scholarships within Ikorodu alone. This has helped our students to concentrate on their studies. Many students who show academic excellence have been put on 3 to 4 years of scholarships.
Elesho, who is the Convener, Ikorodu Legislative Debate and brother to one of the sons of Ikorodu that also graduated with First Class, also attributed the development to what he called improved education at the secondary school level, why also advocating for sustenance of various interventions across the Ikorodu Division.
“Again, the reforms in the secondary schools in Lagos State, is telling on the quality of students that get into the university”, he said.
“You will also note that Ikorodu, generally, has continued to engage our students. I think we should sustain the various scholarships by IKODASS, IDPL, DOING GOOD, IDRDG, ETC. These scholarships have encouraged many students to concentrate on their study, especially knowing that they were selected based on their results and if there is a drop in the CGPA, the scholarships are gone. I think we should sustain this, while more people should assist IKODASS to increase the number of students on the scholarship.
“Finally, we must also find a way of encouraging those that graduated in flying colours. Thanks to the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu who gave 5m and the Lagos State Government gave another 5m naira to the overall best student… more of this would encourage more students to continue to do well. Offer of employment, additional scholarships for Master’s degree, etc, would also help out”, he added.
In the same vein, community interventions like the Ijede Development Foundation (IDF), Ikorodu – Oga Development Association Educational Schemes, Ikorodu Division Resources Development Group (IDRDG), Ikorodu Division Peace Initiatives Limited/GTE, Professor Kunle Ade Wahab Educational Foundation (KAWEF) and Igbogbo Students’ Union (ISU) among others, have equally been providing quite number of students in Ikorodu division, with scholarship and bursary awards.
There are also individual initiatives like Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru Scholarship and Bursary awards, Otunba Ganiyu Segun Abiru sponsored scholarship scheme in honour of his late parents, and Oba Adewamiri Ayokuleyin Olaide Memorial and Prince Kayode Olaide Annual Scholarship Schemes among others.
