Sanwo-Olu Rewards LASU’s Two Best Graduating Students with ₦20m Each
Abayomi Susan
Lagos State Governor and Visitor to Lagos State University (LASU), Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has rewarded the institution’s best graduating students for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions with N20 million each.
Sanwo-Olu announced the cash rewards on Wednesday during LASU’s 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies held at the Buba Marwa Auditorium, Main Campus, Ojo, Lagos.
The beneficiaries are Ayilara Lawal Olawale, who emerged as the overall best graduating student for the 2024/2025 academic session, and Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide, who recorded the same feat for the 2025/2026 session.
Olawale, a graduate of Project Management Technology, finished with an outstanding CGPA of 4.96 and graduated with First Class Honours. Oluolamide, who studied Aerospace Engineering, achieved an even higher CGPA of 4.97, also graduating with First Class Honours.
The governor said the awards were intended to recognise academic excellence, hard work and the commitment demonstrated by the two graduates throughout their university education.
The combined convocation produced a total of 20,604 graduates across the two academic sessions, with 494 of them graduating with First Class Honours. The postgraduate category also accounted for 3,383 graduands, including Doctor of Philosophy graduates.
Sanwo-Olu congratulated the graduands, their parents, guardians, sponsors and lecturers for the sacrifices and support that contributed to their academic achievements.
He urged the graduates to look beyond obtaining certificates and use their knowledge and skills to solve problems and contribute positively to society.
The governor also charged them to remain worthy ambassadors of LASU, Lagos State and Nigeria wherever their careers and future endeavours take them.
The occasion marked Sanwo-Olu’s final convocation ceremony as Visitor to LASU, while it was also the final convocation for the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, whose five-year tenure is coming to an end.
Reflecting on LASU’s development, Sanwo-Olu highlighted several educational and infrastructural projects undertaken by his administration, including the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu Library Complex, student union building, additional lecture facilities and student accommodation.
He also pointed to the university’s growing academic reputation, noting that LASU attracted more than 84,000 first-choice applications in each of the 2025 and 2026 admission cycles, making it Nigeria’s most subscribed university during the two years.
Sanwo-Olu further disclosed that LASU had been selected as the sole South-West host of a N3 billion TETFund Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Cyber Sciences, describing the development as an opportunity for the institution to remain at the forefront of emerging technologies.
The governor called on the private sector, alumni and philanthropists to continue supporting the university through research funding, scholarships, endowments and infrastructure development.
The N20 million reward to each of the two best graduating students is also a significant increase from the N10 million presented to LASU’s overall best graduating student in the previous academic session.
The gesture is expected to further encourage academic excellence among students while highlighting the importance of hard work, discipline and dedication in higher education.
