Former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission(NUC) and Chairman, Governing Council, National Open University of Nigeria(NOUN), Prof Peter Okebukola, has promised to support the vision of the current Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University(LASU), Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello and her team to make LASU the best brand among universities in the West African subregion in no distant time.
He made the promise in his remark shortly after he was conferred with the rank of Emeritus Professor, the highest post globally in the academic circle by the university at its 25th convocation ceremony held last week.
Five other eminent Nigerians including the Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, his counterpart in Borno State, Prof Babagana Zulum; Chairman\CEO, Nigeria in Diaspora Commission, Mrs Abike Dabiri- Erewa; former chairman of First Bank Plc, Mrs Ibikunoluwa Awosika and the founder\CEO of Ikeja Hotel Plc, Mr Goodie Ibru, were also honoured with a doctoral degree at the event.
Okebukola, a former don of LASU and who had earlier bagged the Distinguished professorship of the university under the administration of Prof Olanrewaju Fagbohun is the first to be honoured with the emeritus professor by the 39-year-old university.
He said he had no inkling he would be honoured with such highest academic rank by the university and therefore grateful to God and the university’s council and management for finding him worthy for the honour.
He said now that the new VC had already set in motion six strategic goals to move LASU to a greater height, he would surely do his best just as he had been doing to support her administration to achieve the vision.
He, however, commended the Lagos State governor and vistor to LASU, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his administration giving due priority particularly to education and technology, saying that is a sure way to make Lagos truly a smart city.
In their separate remarks at the event, the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellors of LASU, Prof Gbolahan Elias(SAN) and Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, respectively, said the contribution of Prof Okebukola to LASU and the university education globally which they described as pricessless, earned him the honour.
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