The best graduating student at the 2014/2015 convocation of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Mr Daniel Dada, says being a conformist paid off for him and contributed largely to his success.
Dada, 29, from the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, who set a new record in the university, was among the graduating students on Day 1 of the convocation.
He had a Grand Cumulative Point Average (CGPA) of 5.00 to emerge the overall best after scoring ‘As’ in all the courses he took in his programme.
Dada said on the sideline of the event that conformity with the university, faculty and departmental regulations could be difficult, but it paid off.
He said that many people were not succeeding the way they ought to because they had chosen to be non-conformists.
According to him, conformity with guiding rules in any system often breeds excellent people.
He said for people to excel, they must be ready to see and do things in conformity with the system in which they operate.
“It is by doing this that you can actually carve a niche for yourself, explore, make new discoveries and be the best you want to be.
“You will get opposition no doubt, but if you are ready to make the necessary sacrifice, ready to challenge ideas on what you may think is impossible, and ask questions and listen, then the sky will be your limit,’’ he said.
Dada said he was looking forward to furthering his studies as fast as possible, whether in the country or outside.
He said that he had penchant for teaching and assisting young psychologists, and loved listening, asking questions and learning from anybody.
Dada said though he was not an indoor person, he did not let associating with friends and going on social outings make him to lose focus.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of the 54-year-old institution, Prof. Rahmon Bello, said that 2,585 of the 10,907 graduating students were being conferred with honours on Day 1 of the ceremony.
He said they were drawn from the Faculties of Arts, Education, Environmental Sciences, Science and Social Sciences.
Bello said that 66 graduating students from these faculties finished with first class honours.
According to him, Tuesday’s event also witnessed the conferment of degrees on 869 graduating students in the second class upper division.
He said that 1,246 students finished in the second class lower category, 394 others in the third class, and 19 students with Pass.
Giving a further breakdown of the graduating students of the various faculties, the don said Arts, Education and Environmental Sciences graduated 393, 605 and 201 students respectively.
He said that Faculties of Science and Social Sciences turned out 710 and 676 students respectively.
The vice-chancellor said that the overall best graduating student, Dada, had made the university proud and had set a record for others to meet.
“The university will continue to maintain a tradition of excellence and of producing quality graduates that will compete favourably with their counterparts all over the world.
“This is in line with our vision and we have vigorously maintained this tradition over the years,’’ he said.
The vice-chancellor congratulated the graduating students and urged them to contribute their quota to the development of their alma mater.
The don said that certificates of graduating students were ready for collection on presentation of clearance documents from their various departments.
The National Chairman of the institution’s alumni association, Dr Olorogun Sunny-Kuku, described Dada’s feat as rare, and worth celebrating.
Sunny-Kuku awarded Dada a cash prize of N500,000, explaining that each of his CGPA attracted N100,000.
He urged the other graduating students to be good ambassadors of the institution and be proud of whom they were.
Kuku also advised them to impact their communities positively.
