The Best Graduating Student in the 27th convocation ceremony of the Lagos State University, LASU, Mubaraq Olawale Olaniyi, said despite his humble background of being the son of a wood seller and losing his mother while growing up, he did not allow the challenges of life to distract him from pursuing excellence.

Olaniyi, who read Accounting Education, added that the notion some people have about education courses, also did not discourage him in realizing his ambition.

He graduated with a CGPA of 4.98 from the department of Accounting Education, Faculty of Education.

He stated this while delivering his valedictory speech on Wednesday.

“It is with great humility that I address you today as the son of a wood seller father and a late mother, who has defied expectations to emerge from a faculty wrongly adjudged as an asylum for students with low intellectual quotient and for students gifted with courses different from their desires.

“Mubaraq Olawale OLANIYI is my name. The Best Graduating Student, Lagos State University, 2022/2023 Academic session. Without mincing words, I state categorically that I am neither a low IQ student, nor given the course different from my desire. I chose Accounting Education.

“Today, I got to know the huge difference between dreams and DREAMS. The semantic meaning of Walt Disney’s quote: “If you can dream it, you can achieve it”, turned out to be true. In part, my standing here today is the result of personal aspirations, brought into animation by the inspiration gotten from the previous LASU’s Best Graduating Students whose legacies are replicable. But before I proceed:

“The visitor to Lagos State University; His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State. The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the 12th Governing Council of Lagos State University, Sir David Sunmonu. The Chancellor, Professor Gbolahan Elias, SAN. The Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, mni, NPOM.

“The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics, Registrar, Bursar and the Librarian. Deans, Directors, Heads of Department, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.