Embrace innovation, courage, Sanwo-Olu urges Babcock graduates

Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, on Sunday graduated 3,521 students, with 306 of them earning First-Class honours.

Oluwapelumi Amosu, a female Economics graduate with a CGPA of 4.96, emerged as the overall best graduating student. She was rewarded with a ₦10m prize for her outstanding academic performance.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urged the graduating students to embrace courage, resilience and innovation, saying the world rewards preparation, consistency and the ability to create opportunities rather than mere potential.

Delivering the convocation lecture titled “Breaking New Grounds,” Sanwo-Olu charged the graduating Class of 2025/2026, christened the “Nova Class,” to remain steadfast in the face of uncertainty and view challenges as stepping stones to greatness.

He said, “The word Nova is derived from Latin and also refers to a remarkable astronomical event characterised by a sudden burst of extraordinary brightness. Your class name is much more than an identity. It is a philosophy. It is a declaration. It is a prophecy.

“It symbolises a new dawn, renewed hope and the beginning of an exciting new chapter in your lives.”

Congratulating the graduates, the governor said Babcock University had built a reputation for producing globally competitive graduates and professionals across several disciplines.

He said the institution had consistently nurtured leaders making meaningful contributions in public service, healthcare, law, business and other sectors.

Sanwo-Olu reminded the graduates that success would require more than academic excellence, stressing that discipline, preparation and value creation remained indispensable.

He said, “The rehearsal is over. The time has come to step onto the global stage and demonstrate what you have learned, who you have become and what you are capable of achieving.

“The world does not automatically reward potential. It rewards preparation, value, consistency and the courage to create opportunities. You must demand excellence of yourselves every single day.”

Reflecting on his graduation from the University of Lagos in 1988 with a degree in Surveying, the governor contrasted the analogue era of his youth with today’s digital age.

According to him, his generation graduated into a world without the internet, mobile phones, emails or social media, relying instead on printed newspapers, fixed telephone lines and handwritten communication.

“There was no internet. There were no mobile phones. There were no emails. There was certainly no TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat,” he said.

“Today, you carry the world in your pockets. Information that once required weeks of research is now available in seconds. Opportunities that were once limited by geography are now accessible from almost anywhere.”

Despite the differences between generations, Sanwo-Olu said the fundamental challenge remained unchanged.

“Accept the world as it is—but never stop working to shape it into what it can become. Every generation inherits its own realities. Greatness belongs to those who embrace those realities and transform them into opportunities,” he said.

The governor also encouraged the graduates to move forward with faith even when the future appeared uncertain.

“You do not need absolute certainty before taking your next step. What you need is faith,” he said, quoting Hebrews 11:1 to emphasise that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Sharing his personal journey, Sanwo-Olu recalled assuming office as Governor of Lagos State on May 29, 2019, describing it as a leap into unfamiliar territory despite years of experience in public service.

“I had served as Special Adviser, Commissioner in three ministries and headed government agencies, but I had never been Governor before,” he said.

“The uncertainty you feel today is exactly what I felt on that day.”

He recounted how, barely nine months into his administration, the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, presenting one of the greatest leadership challenges of his career.

“There was no playbook. There were no maps to guide us through such an unprecedented crisis,” he said.

“We mobilised every available resource to build one of the country’s most comprehensive responses despite global shortages of face masks, testing kits, ventilators and other critical medical supplies.”

Sanwo-Olu said the experience reinforced the importance of listening to experts and making evidence-based decisions.

“One of the greatest lessons I learned from that experience is this: there is tremendous wisdom in seeking wise counsel. Never assume that you know everything or that you can navigate life’s challenges entirely on your own,” he said.

The governor also recalled the #EndSARS protests, describing them as another defining test of leadership after the pandemic.

He said the unrest led to the destruction of billions of naira worth of public and private assets, including the state’s forensic laboratory and judicial facilities, resulting in significant losses and disruption.

“If I had thought COVID-19 would be the only baptism of fire I would experience in office, I was greatly mistaken. COVID-19 was only the first major test,” he said.

Urging the graduates to remain resilient in the face of adversity, Sanwo-Olu quoted Rudyard Kipling’s poem, If—, encouraging them to remain calm during periods of uncertainty.

He said, “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs… If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same; yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it.”

The governor further admonished the graduates never to give up after experiencing failure.

“There will be disruptions. There will be disappointments. There will be setbacks. There will also be moments of triumph. Whenever you fall, rise again,” he said.

“You may start a business that fails. You may pursue an opportunity that does not work out. But every setback carries a lesson, and every lesson prepares you for the next opportunity.

“Quitters never win. Remind yourselves every day: ‘I am a winner, not a quitter.’ The challenges you face today do not determine the successes you will enjoy tomorrow.”

Sanwo-Olu concluded by urging the Nova Class to embrace every new beginning with courage, faith and determination, expressing confidence that they possessed the capacity to break new ground and make lasting contributions to society.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Afolarin Ojewole, congratulated the graduating students and urged them to use the knowledge and skills they acquired at the university to make the world a better place.

Ojewole encouraged the graduates to remain focused and hopeful, and to pursue their aspirations with courage while upholding the university’s tradition of excellence.

He said the university would continue to formulate policies and prioritise investments aimed at building an institution that is stronger, more influential, innovative and impactful than ever before.