The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has expressed his administration’s readiness to build a 6,000-bed hostel within the campus of the Lagos State University (LASU), in partnership with private developers to improve on the learning experience in the institution.
Ambode, who disclosed this recently during the 21st convocation ceremony of the institution, said government will continue to invest in infrastructure in tertiary institutions in the state to make them great citadels of learning and pride of all.
He commended the management and governing council for the professionalism with which the affairs of the institution have been piloted, while appealing to them to maintain the ranking of the institution as the best state university in the country and to be one of the best five institutions by 2020.
The Chancellor and a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Adesola Oguntade, as well as and Chairman, Governing Council, Professor Adebayo Ninalowo, in their remarks, commended the governor for matching his words with action in terms of the huge investment in infrastructure and academic excellence at the institution.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun thanked Ambode for progressively implementing reforms in the institution, saying, “the management of LASU has not been resting, we can conveniently assert that graduates of this university have been imbued with cutting-edge ethics and intellectual capabilities to contribute meaningfully to the society.”
A total of 36,540 students graduated from various faculties and obtained certificates ranging from diploma, first degree and higher degrees. Honorary awards were also presented to some eminent Nigerians: a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Peter Okebukola; an industrialist, Sir Kessington Adebutu; and the Executive Vice-Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited, Chief Folorunsho Alakija.
Alakija, who responded on behalf of the honorees, thanked the management of LASU for the opportunity, while describing the large number of students that graduated from the institution as wholesome.
Emphasising on education and national development which play a crucial role in economic and social progress, she said, “education leads to an improvement and quality of life of an individual and society at large.”
She stressed the need for the country to invest massively in quality education for youths at all levels. “The time has come for us to wake up.”