• ‘Use your voice to promote scholarship’
•Governor hosts valedictorian, parents at the State House
The fast pace of programmes at the 26th Lagos State University (LASU) convocation, held last month, could not permit Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to have a personal conversation with Miss. Yusuf Aminat Imoitesemeh — the institution’s best student of all time.
Two weeks later, the Governor hosted the valedictorian at the State House, Marina. Aminat came in the company of her parents, Mr Ibrahim Yusuf and Hajia Halimah.
In the governor’s cosy living room on Thursday, the 23-year-old graduate of Law, who finished with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0 on a scale of 5.0, had a relaxed chat with Sanwo-Olu.
At the meeting, the Lagos-born Edo State indigene redeemed the N10 million cash prize pledged by the Governor and the State Government.
The interaction between Sanwo-Olu and Aminat focused on her background and how she rose to prominence through her brilliance and academic feat.
Her “disciplined” parents, Aminat told the Governor, played a significant role in her personal development and the feat attained.
She said: “Since my primary school days, my parents have shown unrelenting commitment to my personal development and that of my siblings. They trained us to always aim for the best, while they did their best to provide everything we need. They are involved at every level of my academic journey; making them proud is my way of paying back the support they have given me.”
Beyond the prominence, Sanwo-Olu told Aminat that the academic feat had thrust the responsibility of a role model on her, charging the valedictorian to use her voice and fame to promote scholarship among young people in vulnerable communities.
The governor said Aminat’s academic achievement had further validated Lagos’ profile as the Centre of Excellence, stressing that his administration would continue to do its best in preserving quality education in the State-owned universities.
Sanwo-Olu charged the valedictorian to sustain her brilliance and aim for excellence in her future endeavour.
When the Governor asked if she had a plan to repeat the feat at the Law School, “I will do my best,” Aminat assured.