LASUED to honour Sanwo-Olu, Obasa, Bamiro at maiden convocation

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa; and former Chief Judge of the state, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), are among six persons to receive recognition awards at the maiden convocation of the Lagos State University of Education, Oto-Ijanikin.

The Vice-Chancellor of LASUED, Prof. Bidemi Lafiaji-Okuneye, disclosed this on Thursday at a pre-convocation press conference held on the university’s premises.

Others to receive the awards at the convocation, scheduled for next Thursday, are former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Olufemi Bamiro; Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab; and Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Tertiary Education, Owolabi Ajani.

Lafiaji-Okuneye said the awardees were being recognised for their contributions to scholarship, leadership and public service, as well as their roles in the institution’s transformation from a college of education into a university.

She said, “They have attained exceptional distinction in their respective fields, influenced lives through scholarship, leadership and public service, and contributed to the progress of Lagos State.

“Their support and contribution to the historic transformation of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education and Michael Otedola College of Primary Education into Lagos State University of Education make this recognition particularly meaningful to our institutional story.”

The vice-chancellor also highlighted Sanwo-Olu’s role in signing the bill establishing the university on February 2, 2022, after its passage by the state House of Assembly on November 15, 2021.

She disclosed that 2,486 students made up the 2025/2026 graduating class, comprising 84 First Class, 891 Second Class Upper Division, 1,286 Second Class Lower Division, 224 Third Class and one Pass.

Blessed Olawunmi, of the Department of Home Economics in the College of Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, emerged as the overall best graduating student with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.98.

Lafiaji-Okuneye said Olawunmi would receive N250,000 and a plaque, adding that other best graduating students across the colleges would also receive plaques and cash prizes.

She said graduating students would be issued their certificates immediately after returning their academic gowns.

Highlighting the university’s progress in five years, the vice-chancellor listed achievements in academic accreditation, programme expansion, postgraduate education, infrastructure, staff development and sports.

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She said the university recorded 100 per cent success in the National Universities Commission’s 2023 resource verification exercise, while all 66 programmes presented for accreditation in the last quarter of 2024 secured full accreditation.

She added that the university’s admission quota had increased from 3,300 to 5,500, while its student population had grown to more than 15,000.

Lafiaji-Okuneye said LASUED had established new colleges and introduced additional undergraduate and diploma programmes, while its Postgraduate College offered several postgraduate diploma courses.

She also listed completed and ongoing infrastructure projects across the university’s Epe and Oto-Ijanikin campuses, including lecture theatres, a Senate Building, a Creative and Cultural Arts Building and a Public Health Building.

The vice-chancellor disclosed that the university had appointed 49 full professors and more than 82 associate professors, while over 38 academic staff members had earned doctoral degrees since its transition.

However, she said the institution still required support from the government and individuals in some critical areas.

Lafiaji-Okuneye said the university needed fully equipped broadcast and photojournalism studios for its communication and media training programmes.

She also called for the protection of the Oto-Ijanikin campus boundary, noting that the planned expansion of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway might affect its perimeter fencing.

The vice-chancellor further identified the swampy condition of a substantial portion of the Oto-Ijanikin campus land, estimated at close to 70 per cent, as another challenge.

“As we pursue new laboratories, teaching facilities and other infrastructure, we require technically sound and environmentally responsible drainage, reclamation and land-development interventions.

“We are hopeful that these priorities can be addressed through sustained engagement with the relevant state agencies and development partners,” she said.

She added that the university needed to complete two 750-seater auditoriums at Oto-Ijanikin and Odo-Noforija, Epe, to accommodate its growing student population and increasing demand for space.