Lagos State University (LASU) law graduate, David Akinwunmi, has secured three scholarship admissions in two Canadian universities and another admission without scholarship from a Canadian university for his Master of Laws (LLM) programme.
Akinwunmi, whose convocation was on Tuesday, was offered admission on scholarship for a graduate programme in Law and Society at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
He was also offered another admission on scholarship at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada, with Naiomi Metallic to act as his LLM supervisor.
Saturday Tribune confirmed another admission letter sent to him from the University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, offering him admission without scholarship.
The LASU law graduate said that among the three Canadian universities that offered him master’s admissions, he accepted that from the University of Victoria, where he has commenced his LLM programme.
‘The three offers have been a significant milestone for me, especially coming shortly after my graduation. They have also allowed me to continue my academic journey in Canada and to pursue research that I believe has relevance to Nigeria,’ he said.
According to him, the University of Victoria offered him two scholarships – the Faculty of Graduate Studies Scholarship and the Law Foundation Scholarship – totalling CAD $45,000 over the two-year duration of the master’s programme. On the other hand, Dalhousie University offered him CAD $40,000 in scholarship over the two-year programme.
Akinwunmi noted that his research at the University of Victoria will focus on a comparative analysis of Nigeria’s and Canada’s tax laws and tax administration.
‘I intend to examine how Canada has been able to integrate indigenous tax systems, principles, and perspectives into its modern tax and fiscal administration. I want to understand the Canadian experience and consider the lessons that may be useful to Nigeria,’ he said.
He appreciated his academic mentors and supporters, especially Professor M. T. Abdulrazaq, SAN; the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Lagos State University, Professor Kareem Olatoye; and others, for their support in the application process for the scholarships.
The LASU law graduate stated that the extracurricular activities he was involved in as an undergraduate helped with his graduate scholarship applications.
According to him, some of the activities included active participation in several moot court competitions, including the All African Human Rights Moot Court Competition in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2024, where he represented Lagos State University, and the ECOWAS Moot Court Competition in Abuja in 2025.
He was also involved in community service and sustainable development initiatives through the Centre for the Actualisation of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, where he served first as the director of programmes and projects and subsequently as vice president.