Don charges LASU students on building sustainable union

A Professor of Mathematics at the Osun State University, Prof. Anthony Olusanya, has tasked the students of Lagos State University (LASU) to strive to build a sustainable students union as a way of meeting the 21st century demands.

The don said this at the Lagos State Students Union (LASUSU) week while delivering lecture on the theme: “The Role of the Nigerian Young Adult,” stressing that there is need to chart a new course for Students’ Body to meet the need of the 21st century.

He also urged the students to embrace entrepreneurship by organising empowerment programmes that will enable them meet their needs on campus.

“21st century is supposed to be a knowledge driven and magical century, students unions across the world have moved from where we are and the societal expectations of students union is very low”, he said.

Prof. Olusanya said in his days as a student union president, students can exchange ideas and engage issues but the youth of today don’t read because the society has degenerated beyond control.

He therefore urged them to read even outside their study areas so as to become a different person stressing that reading autobiography of great people will make them great in life.

In his welcome address, the 27th President of LASUSU, Mr. Samuel Kappo, said his administration has achieved a lot for LASU students in organising programes such as Inter-varsity debate, transformation of the LASU transportation system by collaborating with the Lagos State Transportation Management (LAMATA) towards conveying students to the various hostels off campus, as well as Distinguished lecture series that had students in attendance.

He said the 21st century Students Union should give room for dialogue with the university management instead of taking their issues to the streets adding that this is responsible for the smooth relationship between students and university management currently in LASU.

“The current administration under our Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, has done a lot to maintain peace and order on campus despite the fact that some students still believe that there must be Aluta on campus but I have been able to educate them on the importance of dialogue instead of war.”, he said.

The SUG President also said during the campaign against indecent dressing on campus, students were manhandled by the campus marshals but his administration came in and dialogued with the management that university students are adults and should not be treated as children.

“I am glad today that during my tenure the academic calendar was not altered. We had a smooth running programme. I always preach consultation before confrontation.

My advice to upcoming SUG executives is that they should give room for dialogue, give room for changes and bend and not always be rigid because Aluta will only prolong students’ days on campus and it will have negative effect on their certificates, our lecturers already have their own certificates”, he said