The 2024 best-graduating student of the University of Lagos, David Akanmu, has been selected as a 2024 Knight-Hennessy Scholar.

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford University disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the announcement, Akanmu is one of five Africans, the only one from an African-based tertiary institution, selected to join the 2024 cohort which is the seventh and largest cohort since the inception of the award.

The statement also indicated that UNILAG is the only African university among the 60 universities from where the 2024 cohort of 90 new scholars emerged.

“Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford University today announced its 2024 cohort of 90 new scholars, the largest to date. This seventh cohort comprises students from 30 countries who will pursue degrees in 45 graduate programmes across all seven graduate schools at Stanford. For the first time, the cohort includes scholars with citizenship from Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Bulgaria, France, and Sri Lanka.

“Knight-Hennessy Scholars is a multidisciplinary, multicultural graduate fellowship programme spanning all seven schools at Stanford University. Knight-Hennessy scholars receive up to three years of financial support to pursue graduate studies at Stanford while engaging in experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders who address complex challenges facing the world,” the statement reads in part.

The institution added that “scholars are selected based on their demonstration of independence of thought, purposeful leadership, and a civic mindset.”

The institution added that “scholars are selected based on their demonstration of independence of thought, purposeful leadership, and a civic mindset.”

Stanford University president emeritus and the Shriram Family Director of Knight-Hennessy Scholars, John L. Hennessy, said, “With each new cohort of scholars, I am even more encouraged about the future. The challenges our world faces are only growing more complex, which validates the importance of our mission here.”

In a post on its X handle on Wednesday, UNILAG noted that Akanni is the third graduate of the institution to receive the Knight-Hennessy Scholar Award.

“Akanmu, who is the third UNILAG graduate to receive the Knight-Hennessy Scholar Award, will be pursuing a Ph.D . in Energy Science and Engineering at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

“He graduated with a perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0 in Civil Engineering at the UNILAG Convocation Ceremonies held in January 2024,” the post read.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, on behalf of the University Senate and community, congratulated Akanmu on the feat.

The management of the Bamidele Olumilua University of Education Science and Technology Ikere-Ekiti (BOUESTI) has expelled a female student caught in a viral video flogging her colleague.

On Monday, a clip circulated on X which captured the student assaulting her colleague with a cane.

In the footage, the perpetrator is heard screaming at the victim, saying: “I want to see you fight back. You called me a bastard? Is it because I have kept silent? I must draw blood from you today and no one can stop me”.

The victim is seen running to safety while being chased by her attacker.

The video also captured several individuals present during the assault, yet no one attempted to intervene.

The footage provoked outrage on social media, with users calling on the institution to investigate the incident.

Tope Akinbisoye, the varsity’s spokesperson, earlier revealed that the school disciplinary panel on Monday summoned the students in the viral video.

But in a statement on Tuesday evening, the school authorities announced that Opemiposi Precious Bolaji, the perpetrator who is an 18-year-old student of the Department of Mass Communication, has been expelled.

The student was expelled alongside Genesis Osaro, another student who provided the stick with which Gloria Ajayi, the victim, was beaten.

It is understood that the trio are 100-level students of Mass Communication.

In the statement, the varsity management reiterated its “zero tolerance for all forms of indiscipline” within the school premises.

“Miss Opemiposi Precious BOLAJI with Matriculation No. 10232, a 100L Mass Communication student who was beating her colleague with a stick and threatening to inflict bodily harm on her for allegedly destroying her 3-year old love affair with her boyfriend was found guilty of misconduct and flagrant breach of her matriculation oath and consequently EXPELLED with immediate effect,” the statement reads in part.

“Miss Genesis OSARO, a 100L Mass Communication student with Matriculation No. 10257, who provided the stick with which Gloria AJAYI was beaten, was found guilty of misconduct (as an accomplice) and flagrant breach of her Matriculation oath and consequently EXPELLED with immediate effect.

“Miss Gloria AJAYI, a 100L Mass Communication student with Matriculation No. 10295, who was seen being beaten in the viral video but did not retaliate or engage in fisticuffs with her tormentors, was EXONERATED.

“The duo of Miss Mistura Eniola ADEJUWON with Matriculation No. 10435 and Miss Precious Oluwapelumi OLANREWAJU with Matriculation No. 11126, who gleefully recorded the video and posted on social media were WARNED and advised to always report such incident to the Directorate of Students’ Affairs and the Security Unit of the University rather than excalating it on social media.

“Mr. Olawale AJEWOLE, a 200L Mass Communication student with Matriculation No. 6021 was EXONERATED for making efforts to lock Miss Gloria AJAYI inside a room to prevent further beating.

“The University will like to reiterate its zero tolerance for all forms of indiscipline and avowed commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all members of the University community. We encourage anyone who witnesses or experiences any form of harassment, abuse or violence against any student to report it immediately to the appropriate authorities.”

POLICE PROBE INCIDENT

Adeniran Akinwale, the commissioner of police in Ekiti, also ordered an investigation into the bullying incident.

In a statement released by Sunday Abutu, the state police spokesperson, Akinwale ordered the Ikere area commander to work with the varsity’s management to “ensure the perpetrator is identified, investigated and made to face the legal consequence(s) of her barbaric action”.

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released an additional 531 results for its recently concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Fabian Benjamin, the board’s national spokesperson, confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday.

JAMB, on April 29, released the UTME results of 1,842,464 candidates.

The exam body said 64,624 results were under investigation for reasons including verification anomalies, centres suspected of infractions, and cases of exam malpractice

Benjamin said the board proceeded with the screening of the withheld results.

He said an additional 531 results have been released, taking the total number of results released to 1,842,897.

“In the course of the exercise, other cases of examination misconduct were also established to make a tally of 92 from the 81 initially discovered,” Benjamin said.

“The board is also looking at cases of unverified candidates and will soon come up with a position.

“For now, the method of checking the 2024 UTME remains to send UTMERESULT to 55019 or 66019 and not through any other process. The result, at the moment, is not on the Board’s website.”

Benjamin denied claims that an unknown candidate who did not partake in the board’s 2024 UTME obtained scores.

“In investigating some of these allegations, the board discovered that some of these mischief makers copy results sent to other candidates, edit the details sent to themselves, and then parade this as emanating from the board,” he added.

“The board challenges any candidate, parent or anybody with such a claim or information to prove it wrong by coming forward with the details of such claims and the phone number with which such results were conveyed.”