The Lagos State Baptist Students Alumni Association has awarded a cash prize of N500, 000 each to 11 first-class graduates of the fellowship, as part of the association’s gesture to encourage academic excellence and godliness.

While making the presentation at its 40th Refreshing Conference, held at the Shepherd Hill Baptist Church, Obanikoro, the President of the Lagos State Baptist Student Alumni Fellowship, Sunday Oguntola, said the gesture was borne out of the association’s little encouragement, stressing that the students could never really be rewarded for their sacrifices and sleepless nights in achieving the feat they attained.

“But this is just a token to say we appreciate you for representing academic excellence and godliness, and that’s very important because all of them are Christians. They didn’t cheat; they didn’t have to go to the examination halls with prepared materials. They went to the examination hall, they read, they depended on God, they didn’t have to sleep their way to success. They trusted God, and that’s why we are rewarding them. This is just a token of our appreciation to all of them,” he said.

The president implored students of the fellowship to try hard, noting that it is also possible for them to graduate with first class. “Our advice to them is: try harder; you can always make it. It’s never too late. Some of the people who made it didn’t start with first class; some of them had lower grades when they started. But you know they started working on it.

He added that the message the fellowship is trying to pass across to the student is that there is nothing like impossibility, “and that students can work hard and rely on God, who will see them through,” adding that they would not just make first class in school, but also in life.

One of the recipients of the award, Oluwatimilehin Olalere, who thanked God for the feat, said it was not an easy task. Olalere, who graduated with 4.6 CGPA in Accounting from the University of Lagos Accounting, said he studied hard, paid attention during classes and took advantage of tests.

He also added he never thought of giving up on his goal of attaining a first class and that he only had to maintain a certain pace in his studies.

Alade Ololade, another recipient, said that she did not plan to graduate with a first class. This, according to her, was because she wanted to avoid competing with other students. Ololade graduated with a 4.51 from the Mass Communications Department, UNILAG. She revealed that she juggled her academics with her business and her service as a member of the fellowship, saying that it was not an easy task.

Speaking on balancing education with her business, she said: “I built a structure around it and balanced all of the activities I had at the same time….”