MEET FRANK OSHANUGOR
Swedish Bitters Brand Promoters, Catholic Church, Others Reward 19 Unilag First Class Graduates
February 1, 2026
By Frank Oshanugor
Worshippers at the University of Lagos Catholic Chaplaincy (St. Thomas More) on Sunday witnessed a very joyous moment as 19 graduates of the University who bagged First Class recently in their undergraduate degree examinations were honoured with awards and cash rewards.
The Chaplaincy, Swedish Bitters Brand Promoters, led some anonymous donors in financially rewarding the graduates who are members of St. Thomas More Catholic Chaplaincy for their exceptional performances in their undergraduate programmes at the University of Lagos.
Interestingly, one of the 19 students; Umeozor Chukwuzebu Benedict had emerged the overall best graduating student at the last convocation held a few days ago at the University.
The list below shows the outstanding graduates, their respective courses of study and Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA):
- Chisom Ogbonna – Cell Biology and Genetics – 4.66
- Christelle Okorie – Actuarial Science – 4.81
- Ekene Emmanuel Iwuchukwu – Petroleum and Gas Engineering – 4.74
- Esiri Justice – Mechanical Engineering – 4.56
- Ezeokoye Chukwuedozie Jude – Architecture – 4.83
- Francis Ezeakunwanne – Accounting – 4.84
- Gloria Chioma Onyejeme – Biochemistry – 4.67
- Idumebor Emmanuel – Actuarial Science – 4.98
- Iselen Fortune Oyakhilome – Theatre Arts and Film Studies – 4.64
- Isokpunwu Orobosa – Electrical and Electronics Engineering – 4.60
- Jason Ugochukwu Omu – Finance – 4.60
- Ndibe Chilota – Business Administration – 4.68
- Obunse Ifeanyichukwu Rita – Insurance – 4.89
- Olawunmi Ruth Towoju – Marine Sciences – 4.81
- Oluwafemi Martins Adesanya – Electrical and Electronics Engineering – 4.61
- Onwuachumba Chukwudi Anthony – Accounting – 4.65
- Tobiloba Olayiwola – Accounting – 4.91
- Ukwu Emmanuella Chinaza – Psychology – 4.72
- Umeozor Chukwuzubelu Benedict – Business Administration – 5.00
Commending the graduates for their outstanding performances, Chaplain of the Church, Fr. Paul Akin-Otiko explained that the Chaplaincy had chosen to recognize them for two reasons one of which was to appreciate and honour them for their hard work in the field of academics while the second reason was for the Chaplaincy to use the opportunity to encourage undergraduates to be more hardworking in their studies.
While the Chaplaincy announced cash gift of N50,000 with an award plaque to each of the 19 First Class graduates, Swedish Bitters Brand Promoters (LifeBack Pharmaceuticals Limited) gifted each with N20,000 cash. Two anonymous donors gave N40,000 and N10,000 respectively to each of the graduates with the overall best graduating student getting more from all the donors.
Speaking with ATLANTICNEWSONLINE at the event, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of LifeBack Pharmaceuticals Limited, (brand promoters of Swedish Bitters), Mr. Anthony Onwumere said the gesture “is a community support programme from Swedish Bitters because, to make First Class in a university degree programme means that the person was not playing but a product of excellence which Swedish Bitters represents.”
“What we have done to the First Class graduates is part of our corporate social responsibility of giving back to society by rewarding the hard work of the graduates who did not take their studies with levity over the years. It is also a way of telling those currently in their undergraduate studies that they can as well be products of excellence like Swedish Bitters.”
According to Onwumere, his company got to know only last week that the Chaplaincy had planned award for the First Class graduates and decided to key into it also. “Now that it has started, I am sure that by next year, Swedish Bitters would do more as long as the Catholic Chaplaincy produces First class graduates.”
In the same vein, a Director of LifeBack Pharmaceuticals Limited and pharmacist in the community pharmacy, Pharm.(Mrs) Sylvia Onwumere said she was
supporting her husband with regards to Swedish Bitters “because I know Swedish Bitters has a lot of things to offer by way of encouraging the outstanding graduates towards charting their future course as well as encouraging current undergraduates to become better students and better graduates.”
LifeBack Pharmaceuticals Limited is the sole importer, sole distributor and sole marketer of Swedish Bitters in Nigeria.
Earlier in his sermon during the church service, one of the officiating priests, Fr. Frederick Obanana, harped on righteous living even as he illustrated his sermon with what he described as the 12 fruits of the spirit. He listed them as charity, joy, peace, patience, long suffering, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, modesty, chastity and self control.
According to him, the twelve fruits are indicators to show the level of ones spiritual life, even as he remarked that all beatitudes are fruits but not all fruits are beatitudes. Explaining what the fruits stand for, he admonished worshippers to examine their individual lives in relation to the twelve fruits to ascertain if they were truly living in accordance with the prescription of God. He took time to explain the scriptural meaning of each one of the twelve fruits.
Driving home his sermon, Fr. Obanana charged the congregants to always aspire to possess the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit which are the fear of God, Piety, Knowledge, Fortitude, Counsel, Understanding and Wisdom.
Several professors at the University of Lagos who attended the service openly displayed their love for the First Class graduates as they took photograph with them.
