LASUMA Elects New Leadership, Targets Stronger Alumni Role

The Lagos State University Muslim Alumni (LASUMA) has inaugurated a new executive council, with the association pledging to deepen alumni engagement, expand scholarship programmes and strengthen its contribution to the development of Lagos State University.

The transition took place during LASUMA’s 2026 handover ceremony at Lagos State University, Ojo, where members, university officials, academics and religious leaders reviewed the association’s achievements and outlined priorities for the next two years.

The event, themed “Strengthening Bonds and Sustaining Vision: The Future of Alumni Associations”, featured the formal transfer of leadership to a new executive that will serve from 2026 to 2028.

Outgoing president, Associate Professor Abdul-Azeez Anjorin, said the association had recorded significant growth during the past two years, citing increased membership, expanded scholarship support for indigent students and stronger collaboration with the university and public institutions.

He urged members to sustain the association’s commitment to transparency, accountability and collective service, saying the progress achieved was driven by teamwork and the support of members within and outside Nigeria.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Associate Professor Fatai Yakeen, commended the outgoing executive for laying a solid foundation and urged the new leadership to preserve the association’s values while introducing innovative initiatives that would strengthen its impact.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Jamiu Oluwatoki of Lagos State University‘s Department of History and International Studies called on alumni associations to move beyond reunions and social gatherings by playing more active roles in institutional development, educational policy and national development.

He described alumni groups as custodians of institutional memory and strategic partners capable of supporting research, infrastructure development, mentorship and scholarship programmes.

Oluwatoki said universities worldwide had benefited from strong alumni engagement and encouraged LASUMA members to invest more in mentoring students, supporting academic excellence and contributing to reforms in higher education.

The ceremony also featured the presentation of the report of the transition committee, which formally introduced the association’s new executive council.

The incoming leadership pledged to consolidate existing achievements by promoting inclusive leadership, expanding scholarship schemes, increasing youth participation and strengthening community service initiatives.

LASUMA also honoured members of the outgoing executive council with awards recognising their service to the association.

The association said its membership had increased from about 200 in 2024 to more than 1,800 in 2026, while scholarship funding rose from ₦1 million in 2024 to ₦7 million in 2025.

In a goodwill message, Chairman of the Lagos State University Muslim Community, Professor Babatunde Ramon Yusuf, highlighted the community’s financial growth, attributing it to strategic investments, including the establishment of the LASU Muslim Guest House.

He said plans were underway to expand the facility to increase accommodation capacity and generate additional revenue for community development projects.

Yusuf also appealed for support towards the proposed ₦600 million LASU Ultra-Modern Mosque Project, describing it as a legacy initiative that would serve students, staff, alumni and the wider Muslim community through worship, scholarship and community engagement.

LASUMA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the project, saying it would continue working with stakeholders to advance educational development, alumni participation and community service within Lagos State University.