Lagos State Cooperative College produces 104 graduands

Lagos State Cooperative College produces 104 graduands.

The Lagos State Cooperative College (LASCOCO) has conferred Professional Diploma Certificate in Cooperative Studies on its pioneer students.

The event took place at the maiden convocation ceremony of the institution which held at the Johnson Agiri-Agriculture Complex, old Abeokuta road, Oko-Oba, Agege.

The Provost of the Cooperative College, Mr Akorede Ojomu said: “ The Lagos State Cooperative College’s journey to prominence has been quite eventful and challenging, a fact that necessitated our decision to recognise and honour certain personalities in the state.

“The college took off in the year 2012 as a training and development institution with the mandate to bridge identified skill gaps in the cooperative movement through provision of short-term certificate training to trustees and management of cooperative organisations.

“This metamorphosis of course drew considerable strength from the enactment of legislation for the college in 2018; a development that placed the institution in a class of its own as the first Cooperative College in the country to be backed by statutes.

Ojomu added: “The running of Professional Diploma in Cooperative Studies effective from the 2020/2021 academic session signposted the College’s decision to hit the ground running as tertiary education institution.

“The pioneer students of the Professional Diploma programme numbering 106 were thus sourced majorly from the Department of Cooperative services and  and from this lot, 104 successfully completed the programme.

“Those who completed the programme are awarded Professional Diploma in Cooperative Studies. Some of them are outstanding in thier academic performances would be recognised and presented with awards.

“As training institution, we have done our part in producing well-bred, academically and morally sound graduands who are already acculturated with the `can-do spirit.

“Our graduands will thus become good ambassadors of their alma mater by making a positive difference in their careers and professional practice whilst also promoting humanity with the certification they have just acquired,” he said.

Mr Ojomu added that within the short period that the monotechnic was set up, it had been able to get accreditation for its course from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)

“It is also noteworthy that in our quest to go full blast as an approved tertiary institution in Nigeria, LASCOCO has successfully secured the NBTE’s interim accreditation in Sept. 2021 to operate and also admit student.

“We have courses like Cooperative Economic and Managemt and Microfinance and Enterprise Development.

“The interim accreditation and approval of NBTE were secured following the college’s satisfactory accreditation during the board’s resources Assessment visit to the college in Sept 2021.

“The college now boasts of fully air-conditioned library, well stocked with contemporary and relevant reference books that can 42 students. Also the digital/e-library also have in Stock over 700 e-books, ” he said.

“Taking due cognisance of its specialised status being an institution with the primary mandate for the provision of cooperative education, training and research, the college reached out to the U.K. Cooperative College (UKCC)

“I am happy to report that LASCOCO enjoys the valued membership of the UKCC and has also signed with college a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will benefit both in exchange of programmes, ” he said.

Part of the activities at the maiden convocation ceremony included conferment of Honorary Fellowship Awards on distinguished personalities such as Mr Olawale Raji, the Honourable Representative of Epe Federal Constituency and Chairman House Services Committee of the 9th Assembly.

Others included the Oniru of Iru Kingdom, Oba Gbolahan Lawal and Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, former Commissioner for Education, Lagos State who adopted the library of the institution.

Others who received the Honorary Fellowship are Dr Olajide Basorun, former Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Civil Service and Mr Olalekan Akodu, also a retired Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Civil Service.

Five graduates of the college who distinguished themselves during the programme were also recognised.

Mrs Veronica Akingbade emerged the Overall Best Student, while Mrs Adeyinka Abiade emerged as the Best Student in Core Cooperative Courses.

Omobolanle Olaniyan emerged the Best Student in Accounting while the Best Behaved Student went to Oluwaseun Taiwo and Special Student Award to Ajoke Ogunjinrin.