WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE VICE-CHANCELLOR, LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY, PROFESSOR IBIYEMI IBILOLA OLATUNJI-BELLO, mni, fnli, NPOM, FSPSP AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE FEMI GBAJABIAMILA CONFERENCE CENTRE, LASU MAIN CAMPUS, OJO, LAGOS ON TUESDAY 2ND JANUARY 2024.
Mr Governor, Babajide Olusola SANWO-OLU
Chief of Staff to the President, Rt Hon Femi GBAJABIAMILA, CFR
Hon. Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusufu Tanko Sunumu
Members of State Executives here present
Body of Permanent Secretaries here present,
Heads of Ministerial Departments here present,
Chairman of LASU Governing Council, Sir David SUMONI, FCA, KJW
Members of Governing Council here present,
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, Prof. O. OMOBITAN
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adenike BOYO
The Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel FANU
The Bursar, Mr. Saidi OLAYINKA
University Librarian, Dr. Omawumi MAKINDE
Our Royal Fathers here present,
Members of Senate here present,
Members of the University Community here present,
Our world class students here present,
Gentlemen of the Press,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Your Excellencies sir, Good morning and happy new year.
I feel immensely happy and grateful to the Almighty God who has spared our lives to see the new year and made this day a reality. I most respectfully welcome Mr. Governor, the Visitor to our University, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, to your university. Your presence on this very first day of work in 2024 gladdens our hearts sir, and sets the tone for a great year ahead. Thank you for making LASU an institution after your heart sir.
I also delightfully welcome the esteemed presence of our benefactor, the Chief of Staff to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Immediate-past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to this great institution. If we had rolled out a red carpet to receive you all the way from the gate this morning, it would have been more than deserving for the lasting legacies of impact that you are leaving in LASU. Thank you sir.
I welcome all our guests, those on the Governor’s and the Chief of Staff’s entourage. This is the Lagos State University, Nigeria’s best State University and the 9th Overall in the country according to the highly reputed AD Scientific Ranking for 2023. We are also the best University in West Africa according to the UI Greenmetrics Ranking for eco-friendly environment, and Nigeria’s technologically most advanced State University as adjudged by the Nigeria Technology Awards. Here, we say we are LASU, we are Great. Therefore, you are in a great university environment, and among great people. Once again, we thank you for your presence.
Your excellences sir, today is a historic day for us in LASU; being the day we will be taking ownership of this beautiful edifice generously donated through the goodwill of our benefactor, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to the university. Indeed, there is no better way to start 2024 than with the inauguration of this facility. We have looked forward to it for a long time, and we are glad the day is finally a reality.
As you can see, this Conference Centre is a beautiful edifice, a unique architectural monument that has enhanced the aesthetic landscape of this great University; which is why we are proud to showcase it to visitors to our campus. Ever since its completion, the surroundings of this structure have become the go-to location and a preferred spot for our students to take pictures and create content.
More importantly, this facility is a critical infrastructural intervention at this time when our need for conductive spaces to carry out administrative and social engagements continues to grow as our staff and students’ population increases. It is therefore a welcome addition to our infrastructural facilities, and we are happy to have it. Indeed, this is the best new year gift that we can ask for.
It is worth stating that the Lagos State Government under the dynamic leadership of Mr. Governor has over the years invested heavily in infrastructure and facilities at the Lagos State University and in our other campuses, a huge intervention that is self-evident all over our campuses. Despite this, there is still a gap between where we are and where we want to be. This donation today, and others like this, will go a long way in ameliorating the critical infrastructural needs on our campuses
All over the world, Universities depend on donations from privileged individuals and organizations to provide quality education to learners. These philanthropic acts benefit society. This donation is therefore an investment in the future of students who study in this great university and an investment in the future of our dear state.
On behalf of the Management, Staff and Students of this great University, I thank our benefactor, the Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila for bringing this project to LASU. With this act of altruism, you have inscribed your name in gold in the history of this university forever and left a lasting legacy for unborn generations to enjoy.
It is also on record that this is not His Excellency’s first act of magnanimity to the university. Before now, His Excellency donated a wifi facility around our campus from which our students have benefitted greatly. We have also received, through the benevolence of His Excellency, equipment for the digitalisation of the university records, an act that has proven instrumental in our digitalisation drive in the university. We assure you sir that these facilities will be put to good use. It is also my belief that His Excellency has more in store for the university and I look forward to other interventions.
As I conclude, let me use this opportunity to call on other well-meaning Lagosians to borrow a leaf from His Excellency and inscribed their names in the history of the university through donations of facilities and endowments. LASU is a great place to commit your resources. We are on track to become the best university in West Africa and we want you to be part of our story. Please support us.
On this note, I welcome you all once again and I pray that 2024 will bring us closer to our dreams. Amen.
We are LASU, we are Great.
Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, mni, fnli, NPOM, FSPSP