Take advantage of Ports facilities in Lagos to excel in Blue Economy, others—Tolani, Ogala

The  Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr Tolani Sule, and the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Lagos State University, LASU, Mr Babatunde Ogala, SAN, have charged the management and staff of the university to leverage on its location for excellence in areas such as Blue Economy, logistics and transportation among others.

They gave the charge during a three-day retreat organised for members of the council and management of the institution at the weekend in Ikeja, Lagos. The retreat had as theme: “Purposeful Governance: Charting a Strategic Roadmap for LASU.”
Sule urged the council to strike the right balance between ambition and sustainability, innovation and regulation, progress and prudence.
This is just as he applauded the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, and the entire university team for convening the “timely and strategic”  retreat. 

He sought a harmonious  relationship between the council and university management, stressing the importance of cooperation, mutual respect, and shared responsibility.

“For our students, the university must offer a safe, inclusive, and stimulating learning environment, one that nurtures talent, promotes discipline, and encourages holistic development.

“For society, the university must serve as a moral compass, a reservoir of ideas, and a driver of social and economic development. LASU, in particular, must continue to reflect the resilience, diversity, and dynamism of Lagos State,” he said.

In his remarks, Ogala thanked  Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for their appointments, adding that the new council was poised to take strong and hard decisions when the need arose. 

“Distinguished council members, we have no excuse. We have to leverage on the blue economy, we have the resources with over 200 professors.

“Distinguished professors, go back and give us research papers on how we can leverage. It is a challenge and let us challenge ourselves,”he said. 

“If people can employ us to do research for them then the university should employ itself. We have the transport and logistics sector, we must leverage on it.

We have the LASU Consult, we must leverage on it,” he said. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, described the retreat as an opportunity to critically examine governance structures, reassess strategic priorities, and collectively chart a sustainable road map to propel LASU to greater heights.

She said as a university with a proud history and an even more promising future, LASU must continually reposition itself to respond effectively to evolving global standards, national priorities, and the aspirations of our students, staff, and stakeholders. 

“Purposeful governance demands that our decisions are guided by clarity of vision, fidelity to our mandate, and an unwavering commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and innovation,” she added.

Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola,  speaking on university governance, reiterated the commissioner’s call for the council and management to work as a cohesive team. 

He urged the council to focus on societal engagement by addressing challenges peculiar to the state and country, entrenching quality-based standards, ensuring ethical leadership, supporting student success, and seeking to compete globally whilst serving Africa. 

Mr Akin Kekere-Ekun, former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, spoke on “Ethics in University Governance,” sharing personal experiences to guide the direction of the new council. 

Dr Laila St. Matthew-Daniel delivered a lecture on Stress Management, highlighting the critical role of stress management and emotional intelligence in effective leadership.