Osinbajo, Ambode commission new LASU senate building
By Benjamin Omoike
Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, and Lagos state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday commissioned the new Senate building of Lagos state University (LASU), expressing optimism that the ultra-modern edifice will go a long way in enhancing academic activities and positively changing the landscape of the institution.
Osinbajo, who delivered the 23rd convocation lecture of the university before inaugurating the Senate building, also said the time has come for African countries to invest more in education to lift the people of the continent out of poverty.
Speaking on the theme: “Africa centres of excellence in African universities: A veritable catalyst for nation building and development,” the Vice President also, said that the time has come for African universities to be at the forefront of building research and collaboration to find lasting solutions to the myriads of challenges confronting the continent.
“So what do we need to do to convert our country to the greatest centre for innovation and creativity in the world? Three things; number one education, number two education and number three education. The truth is that education is the most powerful force for socio- economic change in the world.
“The UNESCO global education monitoring report and the education commission’s learning generation report provide important evidence on the impact of education on an individual’s earnings and economic growth,” Osinbajo said.
While expressing the federal government’s commitment to continue to collaborate with the universities to play up education of the people, Osinbajo said this has become imperative owing to the fact that education remains the most important force to global change.
He said through improvement in learning and quality education, Nigerians could be lifted from abject poverty, just as he also emphasized the need for more premium to be placed on girls’ education.
Speaking earlier, former Ghanaian President, John Dramani Mahama, who chaired the convocation lecture, urged African universities to move away from the colonial system of education and focus on science and technology to engender growth and development of the continent.
He said universities must provide visionary leadership and have academic autonomy while political institutions must also avoid interference with the running of academic institutions.
Mahama said for African universities to set the tone as African centres of excellence, there must be adequate funding, while they must also collaborate with each other in terms of multiple campuses for different specializations in different countries.
Gov. Ambode said it was gratifying to note that LASU was now well-positioned to be among Nigeria’s leading universities and a proper citadel of learning and character development.
Recalling some of the challenges the university was contending with in 2015 when his administration came on board, Ambode said on assumption of office he immediately embarked on some reforms which today turned the story of the university around for good.
He said aside from amending the laws of the university and embarking on massive upgrade of infrastructure, the government also selected individuals with experience, dedication and a track record of remarkable leadership to lead the governing council, adding that the development changed the narrative of the university.
