Yemisi Dada
Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu has inaugurated the new academic ICT compliance building of the Lagos State Cooperative College during the second Convocation of the college with one hundred and fifty three graduants.
The Governor was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperative, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose at the college premises at Agege.
The Governor said the well equipped building and air conditioned classrooms would improve the teaching and learning environment to produce employable graduates.
“Today’s event is more than a celebration of academic achievements. It is a reaffirmation of the critical role that cooperative education and management play in nurturing nano, micro, small, and medium enterprises — the lifeblood of our economy.
As a government, we recognize that unlocking the full potential of these enterprises is pivotal to realizing our THEMES Plus development agenda. Nano enterprises, often operating informally with fewer than five employees, make up over 70% of commercial activity in Lagos. Their resilience and ingenuity are inspiring, but they face structural barriers to growth — limited access to finance, inadequate skills, and exclusion from formal markets. Cooperatives provide the bridge to overcome these barriers. By pooling resources, sharing knowledge, and leveraging collective strength, cooperatives empower small businesses to scale, innovate, and thrive. The Lagos State Cooperative College occupies a strategic position in this ecosystem. Through continuous training, the College equips cooperative leaders and MSMEs with the tools to transform survivalist ventures into sustainable enterprises.
This vision of strong and sustainable enterprises resonates strongly with and aligns with the pillars of our THEMES Plus Agenda. It seeks to improve Education and Technology by equipping cooperatives with digital skills and innovation grants. For the area of health and environment, the Lagos State Cooperative College is promoting sustainable business practices through cooperative models. The College is also improving on the areas of security and governance by formalizing informal enterprises to strengthen accountability and economic inclusion and finally the College is another step closer to our dream of a 21st Century economy by building globally competitive enterprises from the grassroots up”.
“As part of our commitment, our administration has launched several initiatives and projects, such as the ₦5 billion Nano Enterprise Fund to empower cooperatives, cooperative digital hubs to foster e-commerce readiness and public-private partnerships to provide accessible technology and financing solutions. These initiatives are designed to strengthen cooperatives as engines of economic transformation and social upliftment”
To our graduands, I urge you to step into your new roles with confidence and purpose. Use the knowledge and skills acquired to ignite change, foster entrepreneurship, and build resilient communities. Every nano enterprise you nurture, every cooperative you strengthen, contributes to the larger tapestry of Lagos’ economic prosperity. Remember, your success is Lagos State’s success. Your innovation is our future. Your resilience is our strength” Sanwo-olu says
Chairman of the College Governing Board, Mr Raji Oyebowale, said the convocation is not just a celebration of academic achievement but a relevance of Cooperative education as a catalyst for inclusive economic development, social progress and institutional strengthening.
“To our dear graduands — today is your day. You have crossed an important bridge in your academic and professional journey. But remember, this is only the beginning.
The world you are entering demands more than certificates; it demands clarity of purpose, adaptability, and above all, vision. You must see yourselves not just as graduates of LASCOCO, but as architects of Nigeria’s cooperative and enterprise future.
You have been trained in the values of cooperation, resilience, service, and entrepreneurship. Whether you pursue formal employment, start your own ventures, or return to strengthen the cooperatives that shaped your journey, let your life reflect the ideals you’ve learned here.
You are entering an economy shaped by innovation and resilience — where nano and micro enterprises form the foundation of national productivity. Be bold enough to lead. Be humble enough to learn continuously. Be creative enough to turn obstacles into opportunities.
We encourage you to remain connected to this institution, to contribute to your alma mater’s growth, and to represent the LASCOCO brand with honour wherever life takes you.
Permit me to also highlight two significant features of today’s ceremony. First is the recognition of academic excellence through the award of prizes to our best graduating students — a tradition that reaffirms our commitment to merit, discipline, and excellence”
“We are privileged to confer the prestigious Honorary Fellowship of LASCOCO on distinguished personalities whose contributions to cooperative development and social transformation exemplify the ideals we uphold. These recognitions serve as inspiration for all, and we hope they will continue to raise the standards of aspiration within and beyond our walls”, Oyebowale said
The Provost of the College, Mr Akorede Ojomu who could not contain his emotions cried and said the convocation marked the end of his five years single tenure and tasked the graduates and the management to focus on maintaining the culture of excellence to make the institution worthy of envy .
“As we gather to celebrate the brilliant stars of this occasion: our exceptional graduands, and the devoted families and friends whose unwavering support has brought them to this pivotal moment. You are the heartbeat of today’s historic assembly, a gathering that ignites a bold new chapter in your journeys as scholars, professionals, and visionaries. To each graduands, we applaud your triumphant completion of the National Diploma and Professional Diploma programmes. These hard-earned certifications are not merely accolades; they are keys to unlocking doors of innovation, leadership, and transformative impact in your chosen fields.
As we revel in the joy of this momentous occasion, we take immense pride in celebrating an extraordinary achievement, many of our National Diploma graduands have already secured promising employment opportunities, a testament to their talent, diligence, and determination”.
“Their swift transition from academic excellence to professional success reaffirms the value of their hard-earned certifications and the limitless possibilities they hold. The future belongs to those who dare to rise and today, they rise not only as graduates but as professionals shaping the world ahead” says Provost
“Today is a testament to resilience and unity. As a College, it fills us with immense pride to host this landmark ceremony, a milestone etched in the annals of our institution’s legacy”.
“Together, we stand in awe of what collective purpose can achieve. Let us pause to acknowledge the divine hand that guided this journey; to God, we owe profound gratitude for His grace in making this day possible,” Ojomu said.
Eighteen students graduated with Distinction with Miss Abike Ahmed as overall best student, sixty seven with Upper Credit, fifty four with Lower Credit and eighteen with Pass, while five distinguished personalities were given honorary awards including former Vice Chancellor of LASU, Professor Lanre Fagbohun and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Sam Egube.