overnor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State has tasked institutions of higher learning in the country to focus on teaching students how to be critical thinkers and solutions-driven in order to be armed with the manpower skills needed by the country. He said that our schools should be thinking of producing people who will proffer solution to the nation’s energy needs and have knowledge for enterprise.
Fashola while addressing guests at the 16th convocation ceremony of the Lagos State University Ojo urged the institution and others like it to be in the forefront of human capacity development. He praised the governing council of the institution for good policy decisions, peaceful co-existence of every body on campus and commended the great changes that have taken place there even as he said the authorities of the institution are doing a wonderful work irrespective of the demanding conditions facing the campus especially with a student population of over sixty thousand.
Fashola disclosed that youth development in the state will receive more attention from his government this year even as he urged people to shun strikes and lock outs saying that this is the time we keep our creative minds together.
Professor Lateef Akanni Hussain in his address thanked Gov. Fashola for gracing the occasion and for his numerous financial contributions towards making the campus what it is today. He said the governor was instrumental to the establishment of School of Transport in Lasu which he said is first of its kind in Nigeria. Hussain highlighted the achievements of the institution in Information Communications Technology which includes two ICT centres on campus, IT Resource Centre/Digital lab, V-Sat and internet provision, Establishment of Microsoft Academy among others.
Four prominent Nigerians were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees during the occasion and they include His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abdul Mumini Kabir Usman, Emir of Katsina, Hon. Justice Ibitola Adebisi Sotuminu OON, former chief judge of Lagos State, Chief Babatunde Olushola Benson, SAN while the late Omodele Rhodes was given a posthumous award.
2700 students graduated with higher degrees including eight doctor of philosophy while 9000 first degrees were produced with four first class honours and 369 diplomas out of which two graduands made distinction.