BY IKENNA ASOMBA & OLASUNKANMI AROWOLO

The Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has enlisted about 1,951 students for the 2011/2012 academic session in its matriculation.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor John Obafunwa, in his address congratulated the freshmen on their success as, according to him, “they have weathered the storm of the university’s merit-driven admission process.”

Obafunwa, however, advised the matriculating students that being selected as matriculants among many candidates is not enough for them to rest on their oars but to pay serious attention to their studies in order to maintain good standing in their academic career in the university.

Reiterating the university management’s commitment to rewarding academic excellence, he said: “The university has established scholarship award for students who obtain a minimum CGPA of 4.5 in the sessional examination results.

“Every student should endeavour to become a university scholar, while the university is prepared and will continue to offer scholarship to as many students as merit it.”

Adding, he affirmed that university scholars would be given rebate of 25 per cent of approved school fees.
Professor Obafunwa also urged parents and guardians to compliment the efforts of the university management by monitoring the activities of the children/wards on and off campus as well as continue to counsel them against bad association.

“Parents should warn their children to steer clear of cult related activities. Cultism is evil and those who participate in it are not only wreaking havoc on themselves but on the society at large. The penalty for cultism is expulsion,” he warned.

Expressing his joy, Olajide Raji, a physically challenged matriculating student said: “I am very happy that today has finally come and it has been successful. From the assurances given by the VC, I’m very happy to be a student of LASU.”

Asked how he has been coping with his condition, Raji expressed: “It has not been easy; you know being a cripple is like a disadvantage, but with God on my side and the support of my family, and my two sisters who push me down to school every morning and back home later in the day, I know I will fare well in LASU.”

Although a total of 4,903 candidates were offered admission, only 1,951 were cleared for matriculation, as drawn from 10 faculties of the institution.

They included; Faculty of Arts: 322; Management Sciences: 349; Social Sciences: 24;  Science: 391; Education: 477; Law: 31; and Engineering: 41.

Also, LASU School of Communication, Transport and College of Medicine matriculated 231, 68 and 17 students respectively.