By Henry Uche, Lagos
The Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Prof Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, has vowed to make the institution second to none in West Africa.
The vice chancellor, who made this known at an event marking her first anniversary as the second female and ninth substantive VC of the institution, affirmed that her vision to make LASU a cynosure of all eyes in the academic world would not be achieved in isolation but by collaborative effort.
According to her, research, leading and community service are indispensable for her as she was determined to make “developmen’ a cardinal point of her administration aimed at placing the institution on a solid foundation for greater heights.
“Prior to my appointment in September, 2021, as the vice chancellor of Lagos State University, I had already determined in my mind to make the institution the best in West Africa and as you can see, we are in the right track.
“We have achieved some feats, but we are still getting there. We need more of your dogged and unflinching support. I want to bequeath to my successor enduring legacies that everyone will be proud at the end of my tenure in office.
“It bears mentioning that development will remain a pipe dream in a situation where research is trivialised, when the synergy between the university and the industry does not receive the attention it deserves, and when there is a disconnect between the gown and the town.”
Olatunji-Bello, who eulogised the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his prompt interventions- financially and otherwise, maintained that the institution would continue to reward outstanding students in every academic section.
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She called on all stakeholders to key into her vision to facilitate the attainment of LASU set goals. “Right from day one, I had clear, specific ideas to guide me in actualizing the vision I set for the University; ideas that were later crystalised into the six strategic goals that have formed the thrust of my administration’s policy agenda to which include the following:
“To ensure that academic and professional programmes are and remain accredited by the relevant bodies; to make the University a research, innovation and development hub for Lagos State and National development; to ensure that infrastructural facilities are improved and readily available for seamless performance of Administrative and academic duties.
Others are: “To improve internal generation of revenue with the aim of achieving financial sustainability of the university; to promote the welfare of all staff and students in the university and to promote participation in sports and recreational activities.
“I want to assure you stakeholders, that we are determined to make the development of the university the cardinal point of this administration’s mission to place the University on a solid foundation of excellence in research, learning and community service,” she added.
In line with her promise on assumption of office to reward outstanding students in every session, the VC awarded 556 students who are academically outstanding in their respective departments. The students (scholars) were said to had made over 4.50 GP and above. For the graduating students in this category, would be given back their school fees while the undergraduates in this same category would be given a rebate.
With the theme, “The Significance of Education to the Growth of the Nation”, the guest lecturer, Mr Ben Llewellyn-Jones, who is the Deputy British High Commissioner, Nigeria, reminded Nigerian political leaders that education remains indispensable and no nation could achieve any significant growth and development without quality education.
The High Commissioner who applauded the giant strides of the VC urged stakeholders to synergise to resolve the lingering problem of Nigerian education system for sake of the coming generations. “Education remains the key to growth and development. We must not play with it. Our children deserve the best,” he affirmed.