Lagos council chairman splashes 1m on student for scoring 351 in UTME

The Chairman of Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA, Hon Rasaq Ajala, has splashed the sum of 1 million on Raphael Mulero, a student of Ilupeju Senior Grammar School, for scoring 351 in the just-concluded UTME 2023.

The student received cash gift from the council boss on Monday May 22, 2023, in appreciation of his outstanding academic performance in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

While receiving the student, his mother, principal and mentor in his office earlier today, the chairman praised the student for the feat he has just attained.

He commended him for being a good ambassador of Mushin by once again proving that the environment in which one comes from should not determine his/her life’s achievements.

He stated, “We are celebrating Raphael because he has demonstrated that public schools can compete favorably with their private schools counterparts in terms of achievements educationally.

“It is also a further demonstration of the commitment of our teachers in public schools to change the narrative out there about public schools and also a testament to the quantum of resources our amiable governor in Lagos State Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu is expending on the public schools for them to be able to compete with other schools in the other developed clime.”

He therefore announced the purchase of a laptop worth the sum N500, 000.00 (five hundred thousand naira) for the student to support him in his education pursuit and the same sum to be shared among his mother, his mentor, parent forum and the principal of the school.

He also advised the student to remain focused on his education and not to be detracted as he climbs the ladder of success.

While commenting on the success achieved by Raphael, the Principal of the school, Olanike Taiwo Akinyosoye, stated that the boy has been a studious student since his time in Junior Secondary School.

“Raphael can be inside a room for days studying. He will collect his food, eat and continue reading, I pray he go higher to fulfill his destiny.

“I always tell my students they can achieve what he has achieved if they can study hard,” she stated.

She commended the chairman for recognizing the academic success and for always supporting the teachers and the schools within the LCDA.

“The chairman has always been supportive of the teachers, schools and students within the LCDA

“He is a wonderful man; he has listening ears. I have worked in different local governments but Hon. Ajala is different,” she said.

Raphael’s mother, Mulero Victoria, said she was happy about the feat attained by her son.

She thanked Hon. Ajala for the kind gesture towards her and her son and prayed to God to continue to elevate him and his team in Odiolowo-Ojuwoye LCDA.

Raji Abraham, the physics and further mathematics teacher in the school and the mentor to Raphael stated that he had noticed his exceptional brilliancy in sciences since he was in SSS 1.

“I have tried to guide and encourage him to achieve his goals and I am happy today that the effort has not been in vain

“He is today one of the best physics and best science students in the country,” he said.

He thanked the chairman for the encouragement and prayed that God will continue to bless him.

Raphael, in his comments, thanked the chairman for the encouragement and for recognizing his achievement.

He stated,” I am very excited and happy to be recognized by the Hon. Ajala today

“I want to thank him for what he has done for me today. I appreciate him and I will encourage him to continue to do this for the up up-and-coming youth so they can be the best they want to be.”

On what contributed to his achievement, Raphael said, “My consistent reading, online tutorials, my mentor who always motivates me and my mum who always reminds me of the background I come from.”

He encouraged his peers to be determined and read hard to make a remarkable mark in their chosen areas of study.