Gift Awugo, a Lagos State University (LASU) graduate, has been named the Best Graduating Student of the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Best Graduating Student of the Department of Economics, and the Best Female Graduating Student of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the university's August 2026 convocation. She achieved this feat with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.89 out of 5.00.
A Journey Marked by Sacrifice
Growing up, Gift was acutely aware of the financial strain her education placed on her mother. She once asked to be transferred to a public secondary school, one that the family could comfortably afford. This awareness of sacrifice followed her into university, where she initially aimed for a federal institution to keep costs lower.
On the final day of the LASU screening exercise, she changed her mind and applied to Lagos State University, despite being told admission was unlikely. She applied for Stream 2, and by December 2022, her admission letter arrived. The programme cost roughly 151,000 naira per session, and she also took on an entrepreneurship programme alongside her degree, accepting the challenge.
Fear of Losing Her Position Drove Her to Excel
Knowing what her mother was sacrificing, Gift said she could not afford to take the opportunity lightly. She described the pressure of maintaining a top position as something that went beyond academic ambition. Once she reached the summit, the fear of losing her standing pushed her deeper into her books.
She wrote on her LinkedIn page: "It is one thing to work hard for a good result. It is another to become afraid of losing it. I knew what a B could do to my CGPA, so I buried my head even deeper into my books." She graduated with a first-class degree, closing a chapter she says began not with ambition but with sacrifice.
Reactions to Her Achievement
Her post drew warm responses from connections who were moved by the honesty and determination behind her achievement. Chimdiebube Onuorah commented: "Congratulations Gift Awugo. Some journeys begin with a dream. Others begin with a sacrifice, and somehow become both. What moves most is that you never forgot the weight of where you started while rising into everything you were capable of becoming. You didn't just honour the opportunity; you honoured the sacrifice behind it. This is what it means to keep going."
Hadassah Asede said: "Big Congratulations, Gift Awugo. This is really really inspiring. Greater Heights ahead." Adekunle Moses said: "Thank you so for sharing your inspirational story! I enjoyed reading every single word in your write up and it brought tears to my eyes."
In a related story, UNILAG's best graduating student shared how he was rejected by the University of Ibadan, while another graduate staged a one-man protest over unemployment. Legit.ng previously reported that the Lagos State University's best graduating student opened up about her admission experience in an insightful interview, sharing her admission struggle, experience in school, and future goals.
