Ahead of ProfessorOlanrewajuFagbohun’s first anniversary as the Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU), the management has announced plans to introduce additional 10 programmes in the areas of Tourism and Hotel Management, Local Government Administration and Leadership Programme, Pharmacy, among others.
Fagbohun, who highlighted these as part of his 32-point objectives with time lines, which he presented to the university’s senate last December, attributed the prevailing atmosphere of peace on the hitherto troubled university to his administration’s transparency and inclusive style.
“We have received the best support from our visitor, Governor AkinwunmiAmbode and every other stakeholder including the state House of Assembly, governing council, senate, staff unions and students.
“Therefore, the best way we can reward their trust in us is to offer the best in terms of leadership and administration, and I am very happy that LASU is back on its path to greatness.
“It is also our plan to ensure that the university keys into the vision of the Lagos State Government, which is committed to driving development through various forms of innovation. This is why we have resolved to match the government’s desire with our plan to develop adequate manpower for the future, through the creation of additional programmes that will provide jobs for the future of Lagos, Nigeria and Africa by extension.”
The vice-chancellor added that the new hostel being planned for the university will accommodate between 5,000 and 6,000 students in its first phase, and that the foundation stone will likely be laid by the governor between March and April
“As regards the hostel facilities, it is a vision the governor is so committed to. The stage we are now is that our transaction advisers, the PWC is currently working on the contractors’ selection processes so that both legal and financial due diligence on the contractors are done. This will ensure that once the contracts are awarded, the contractors will have no excuse than to deliver within the specified period. What we are introducing to the hostel are modern facilities including the use of renewable energy in support of our conventional electricity supply system.”
He said the current system on the campus has restored the culture of merit above mediocrity and that through the whistle-blowing technique and tracking system, corruption is being phased out and students attend lectures with the abolition of the old culture of attendance by proxy in classrooms.
“Through hard work and accountability, we have been able to access TETFund for commencement of our School of Agriculture and our Centre for Entrepreneurship. Again you will see that renovation of our facilities such as classrooms have been ongoing even as we are now adopting technology for teaching by utilising the impact of multimedia on knowledge sharing.
“In the whole of Africa, LASU is the only university that has the Institute of Organic Agriculture and one thing our proprietor, the Lagos State Government, is doing for us is to cement the university’s strong partnership with the ministry of agriculture so that we can have access to the Songhai Farm in Badagry which is a huge investment. The farm is a massive multibillion naira investment and that is where we expect our students to have their practical experience.
“If you look around too, our road networks are very appealing now. They have been constructed and the Senate Building will soon be completed. The LASU Radio has been completed, inaugurated and running well. Even right from our gates, you have a fresh feeling of a transformed university,” Fagbohun said.
He thanked every member of the university staff and management and the students for their love, commitment to restoring the university’s lost glory, saying that the next one year would witness more successes.
