LASU VC, others explain motives for Ibile Day celebration

THE vice chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, and an associate professor, School of African and Oriental Studies, University of London, Imran Oluwole Smith, have identified benefits of organising Ibile Day celebration in Lagos State.

They said the celebration is to promote peaceful co-existence among indigenes and non-indigenes of the state and also to give indigenes a pride of place in what is theirs.

Both men made the assertion at the maiden edition of LASU’s branch of the socio-cultural event and the launch of the university’s chapter of Ibile Forum, held at the university’s main campus last week with indigenes in LASU from the five divisional areas of the state, namely: Ikeja, Epe, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Badagry showcasing the richness of their socio-cultural heritage.

Among notable scholars and traditional rulers from across the state in attendance at the event, themed ‘Lagos for Lagos: The Part, Present, Future’, were the former vice chancellor of LASU, Professor Abisogun Leigh, and the immediate past chairman of LASU’s governing council, Professor Adebayo Ninalowo.

The LASU VC, who was presented with excellence service award by the Ibile Forum at the event, said LASU would ensure that every stakeholder in the system counts and also continues to work and live together with others as one family.

According to him, it is only peaceful environment that can lead to meaningful development in any institution or society anywhere around the world.

“So, the LASU management, students’ union and various workers’ unions in the system must remain responsible for our dear university to sustain and move up its current development,” Fagbohun whose tenure as LASU VC is less than a year. That is why we must all abide with merit principle (and not mediocrity) in whatever we do,” he said.

On his part, Professor Imran, who was a guest speaker at the event, said Ibile Forum could collaborate with relevant cultural groups in the state for the course of development.

While advising LASU to explore its comparative advantage as a coastal state in the area of marine technology and fishery education, he said merit must be a yardstick when placing indigenes in leadership positions to avoid promotion of mediocrity.

Another speaker, Dr Akeem Ajonbadi, who is a former lecturer at LASU, said appointment and promotion into positions of authority at all levels in the state must centre on merit principle.

Welcoming audience earlier, chairman of LASU branch of Ibile Forum, Dr Habeeb Sanni, urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration to declare every May 27 as Ibile Day in Lagos.