Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has appointed Messrs Samuel Badekale and Haroun Adebakin, who emerged as the best graduating students of the University of Lagos during the institution’s 55th convocation, as the Education Ambassadors of the State.
The governor also presented them with cheques of N10m each to appreciate their efforts.
Speaking while receiving the duo in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the governor said that by scoring a Grade Point Average of 5.0, they not only made the state proud but also set themselves on the path of greatness.
According to the governor, his administration would continue to honor individuals who made the state proud in their chosen careers to serve as motivation for others to discover their full potential.
He said: “I want to commend you for achieving this great honor for yourselves, your families, the state, and Nigeria, because it is not enough that you come from Ogun State and are flying Ogun State’s flag.
“We are going to appoint you as our Education Ambassadors. It is our hope that other up-and-coming students, those who are still in school, will see you and find motivation in you, allowing them to emulate your good virtues.
“You have to think about how you can support and motivate them. As our Education Ambassadors, we are going to develop programs where you can actually go to schools and talk to them because it will be easier for you to communicate with them.
“I can talk to them, but I may not be able to communicate with them effectively. However, when you speak to them, you will be able to connect because they can identify with you as you are of the same wavelength and age bracket, and you can relate to what they are going through, including their pains and issues.
“I congratulate you as our Education Ambassadors, and I don’t want you to be too far away from the Commissioner for Education so that whatever career path you choose, we can support you in achieving your potential and all that you aspire to.
“But today, we will be supporting you with small cheques of N10m each—just a token of our appreciation to you and your parents for what you have accomplished in making Ogun State proud.”
Governor Abiodun expressed delight that despite the decadence in society, some young men and women remain committed, deliberate, diligent, and intentional about their academics by choosing the right path as a means of emancipation.
The governor, who described education as a pathway to success and a means to eradicate poverty, said it provides respect and a platform upon which one can build to become successful in life.
“It gives you the platform and passport that allows you to apply for different opportunities, whether job opportunities, master’s programs, among others. It is what helps you in the process of determination,” he added.
He noted that their academic success was beyond the ordinary, as their perseverance, consistency, and discipline have helped them achieve the targets they set for themselves.
“You set a target for yourselves and decided that you would not settle for second place but strive for the very best. I must say that this is the Ogun State spirit, and I am not surprised that both of you, in the same year and department, studied the same Cell Biology and Genetics. You have both chosen to pursue a very abstract discipline that requires a lot of intellect, and you have not just excelled, but excelled very well. You graduated with a 5.0, the top of your class,” he said.
Ogun State, the governor noted, is blessed with eminent personalities who have excelled in their chosen professions. “This is the blood that flows in you. I am impressed and excited that you are living up to expectations,” he added.
He mentioned that his administration has repositioned the education sector by introducing various reforms, such as the Revitalization Agenda with a learner identification system, adding that the state has a Learner Identification Number that keeps track of the number of students, a development which he said has attracted attention from other states of the federation.
He lauded the parents of the best graduating students for the values instilled in their children and the sacrifices they made to ensure they are educated, emphasizing that their reward would be the success of their children.
Speaking, Adebakin and Badekale expressed their gratitude to the governor for the honor bestowed upon them, stating that their recognition is a testament to the governor’s commitment to improving the education sector in the state.
They advised the youth to focus on their studies and shun activities that could tarnish their family names, saying, “You can be successful and recognized without engaging in fraud and other unwholesome practices, just as we are being celebrated today by the governor.”
