The Lagos State University (LASU) welcomed 12,590 new students into its academic community during its matriculation ceremony on Tuesday.
This represents 20 percentage of the 62,000 applicants that applied for admission into the university in 2024.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, presided over the event and cautioned the students against indiscipline, cultism, and other vices.
Professor Olatunji-Bello urged the students to seize the opportunity and dedicate themselves to their studies. “You must count yourselves very lucky to be among the very few that have been admitted,” she stated.
The Vice-Chancellor explained that the initial applicant pool of over 62,000 narrowed down to 15,000 after the release of the first merit-based admission list, as some applicants opted for other institutions.
The Vice-Chancellor emphasized the university’s commitment to student safety, assuring the new students of robust security measures on and around campus. She encouraged them to report any suspicious activity promptly.
She also stressed the importance of adhering to university rules and regulations, shunning deviant behaviors and indecent dressing. “The university has zero tolerance for cultism. If you see something, you say something,” she warned.
Professor Olatunji-Bello addressed the critical issue of sexual and gender-based violence, stating unequivocally that LASU has zero tolerance for such acts. She announced the establishment of the Directorate of Response and Prevention, Preventing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, and urged students to report any instances of harassment or assault without fear or intimidation. “Don’t be quiet and don’t be intimidated. Be bold enough to report whoever is assaulting you,” she emphasized.
The Vice-Chancellor also advised the students to cultivate respectful relationships with their peers and university staff, creating a positive and productive learning environment. She reiterated LASU’s commitment to academic freedom and the development of critical thinking and creativity, while also acknowledging the importance of boundaries and obligations within the classroom.
“We take pride in training students for life and we are focused on character development of our students,” she said. Professor Olatunji-Bello expressed the university’s hope that its graduates will become catalysts for positive change and contribute meaningfully to global discussions.