Lagos SSG To LASU: Tailor Your Academic Programmes Along Societal, Enterpreneural Needs
The Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello, on Tuesday enjoined the administrators of Lagos State University (LASU) to tailor its academic programmes along societal and entrepreneurial needs and development.
Mr Bello who spoke as the Guest lecturer at the 4th Annual Distinguished Lecture and Awards of Association of Nigerian University Professional Administrators (ANUPA-LASU) with the theme “The challenge of town and gown partnership in Lagos” held at LASU main auditorium, Lagos, added that the University must be able to think outside the box and address socio economic problems.
“We must begin to channel our energies in a direction that would ensure an effective tackling of our societal problems at large. This will surely restore significance of the gown as credible symbol of intellectual attainment”
“LASU should stand up to be counted in the historic challenge of unleashing the potentials of this great mega city as a catalyst for rapid transformation in Nigeria, West Africa and Africa”, he reiterated.
He added that the Institution should be a key component of the brain box of the Lagos State Government and an intellectual resource base for adding value to public policy in the emergence of a mega city.
He expressed the view that LASU academic community, together with its professional administrators and given the immense intellectual capacity at its disposal can play a much more active role in helping to achieve the task of rejuvenating the state and placing her on a trajectory of irreversible progress.
Mr. Bello stated that there are various challenges in the State seeking to be converted into opportunities for the benefits of residents.
He listed some of them to include the pattern of infrastructural development; particularly roads and the aggressive provision of electricity to the communities which has singled out the Badagry and the Ibeju Lekki/ Epe axes of the State respectively for transformation into centres of dynamic socio-economic activivies.
He stated that LASU should be proactive via its community, ably supported by its administrators to begin anticipating future developmental needs and challenges in these areas, with a view to conduct relevant researches geared towards providing solution to these problems.
According to him “Lagos is naturally endowed with aquatic lives, how has this been beneficial to the state economy? LASU should be able to lead research into this through its school of Fisheries. This Institution should be able to boost a world class research in coconut and its sustainable economy uses.
The University administrators must facilitate the process. They must act as bridge builders. They have to be the purveyor in fast attacking the process of helping researchers relate to to town”.
He explained that the need had risen for the Institution to come up with ideas and relevant technologies that can help the State in converting the tremendous refuse generated daily into more productive uses.
He emphasized that the task which lies ahead of the Institution is far more onerous and critical than the path already transversed.
The event which also featured presentation of awards to the SSG Tunji Bello, The Elegushi of Ikateland, Oba Saheed Elegushi, a former Head of Service and member of LASU Governing Council, Mr Akinsanya Sunny Ajose, was graced by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Lanre Fagbohun, management of LASU and exco of ANUPA.