The Lagos State University Economics Alumni Class of 2000 (LASUECO_2000) has awarded a ₦100,000 scholarship to Miss Gift Awugo, the best non-graduating 300-level student of Economics for the 2023/2024 academic session.

The scholarship presentation is part of activities commemorating the 25th anniversary of the alumni set since graduating from the university.

The initiative, according to the alumni, is designed to recognise academic excellence and will become an annual feature of the set’s contributions to the Department of Economics and the university at large.

The presentation ceremony, which held at the Faculty of Social Sciences building, was attended by several students of the Economics department and senior members of the faculty, notably, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Olufemi Lawal; the Head of the Department of Economics, Prof. Fatai Ogunlana; and Dr. Hassan Bello, who himself is a member of the LASU Economics Class of 2000.

Representing the alumni set at the presentation were the President, Mr. Adekunle Odukoya; the Secretary, Mr. Busayo Ajakaiye; the Social Secretary, Mrs. Adeola Adeyemi; the Coordinator of the LASU Doctor of Business Administration Program, Prof. Saka Rahmon; and Mrs. Vera Obadiah of the Works Department at the university.

Lawal commended the alumni set for its consistency and commitment to giving back to the institution.

“Although I am not from the Economics Department, I love to associate with the best. The Economics Class of 2000 is my favourite alumni set since I’ve been in this faculty. They are always coming back to the school to give back, and on behalf of the entire faculty, I am grateful”, he said.

Last August, LASUECO_2000 donated two complete sets of public address systems to the faculty, to kickstart the Silver Jubilee celebrations.

Also addressing, the gathering, Ogunlana charged the students to see the scholarship as both recognition and responsibility.

“Use this as motivation to do better with your studies and to imbibe the right characters. The fact that members of this alumni set are doing well today is a direct consequence of the diligence that was instilled in them and which they embraced while they were here as students”, he noted.

Odukoya explained that the scholarship is one of several initiatives planned to commemorate the alumni set’s Silver Jubilee.

“A silver jubilee is a great milestone and we are committed to creating legacies for our set and for the betterment of following generations like your set. This scholarship is one of the activities towards that goal and our intention is to improve on it in subsequent years in terms of value, and the number of beneficiaries”, he disclosed.

He shared more details on the alumni set’s silver jubilee legacy project.

“In the coming months, we will also put up an 80-seater Students’ Arena in the space beside this faculty building. It is aimed as a relaxation facility for you while you are preparing for lectures or exams. We will make it the best arena in the entire Lagos State University”, he said.

Odukoya further encouraged students to aspire to excellence, using Miss Awugo as an example.

“We enjoin students to aspire to be like Miss Awugo by striving to be the best in their studies. Make the most of the time you have now; respect your parents sacrifice and be diligent; and nurture the communities you are building today because of the value they will return later in life”, he admonished.

Awugo emerged the best in her set with a 4.88 CGPA in the 2023/2024 academic year. She expressed profound appreciation of the alumni set’s gesture and promised to use it as a motivation to do even better with her studies.

The LASU Economics Alumni Class of 2000 reaffirmed its commitment to sustained engagement with the university, student development, and initiatives that promote academic excellence and community building.

•PHOTO, From left: Secretary of LASUECO_2000, Busayo Ajakaiye; Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Femi Lawal; Best 300-L Economics Student, Gift Awugo; H.O.D. Economics, Prof. Fatai Ogunlana; President of LASUECO_2000, Adekunle Odukoya; Social Secretary, Mrs. Adeola Aramide; Mrs. Vera Obadiah; LASU DBA co-ordinator, Prof. Saka Rahmon; and Dr. Hassan Bello, at the scholarship presentation to Awugo.