I am Jeleelah Olawumi Lawal, a graduate of Common and Islamic Law in the Faculty of Law, with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.7. My journey through LASU was far from a smooth ride, but through every challenge, Almighty Allah was with me. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be grace, the grace of being carried through moments I could not have navigated on my own.
Graduating with a First Class and finishing as Best Graduating Student of the Common and Islamic Law Department is what I'm proudest of, and it's particularly special because I hadn't initially planned for it, my first-semester 100 level result is what changed my goal from simply finishing well to finishing with a First Class. I served as Director of Studies of the Nigeria Association of Muslim Law Students, organising tutorials and tutoring students, and as an Academic Tutor with the Law Students' Society Academic Committee, while also volunteering with MSSN, including as Secretary for the Sisters' Seminar during Jihad Week.
My biggest challenge was commuting from Isheri/Egbeda to school every single day, no less than three hours on the road, sometimes leaving as early as 6am for an 8:30am exam. I never had the opportunity to stay in a hostel, but by the grace of Allah, I persevered. The friends you make in school can either make or mar you, a lesson I'll carry for life, and I'm especially grateful for the amazing friends Allah blessed me with, particularly my best friend, who was both an academic and religious companion.
Almighty Allah has been my greatest source of inspiration, alongside my family and friends whose support and encouragement kept me motivated. I was a recipient of the Lagos State Scholarship Board Scholarship along the way.
My advice to current and incoming students is to read as much as you pray, and pray as much as you read, put in the academic work but never underestimate the importance of seeking Allah's help, and remember the primary reason you're in school. As I remind myself often: whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.