Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sunday, inaugurated a 250-seater lecture hall at the newly upgraded Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), in Ijanikin, Badagry Division.
Sanwo-Olu inaugurated the hall during the 15th coronation anniversary of the Oloto of Oto-Awori Kingdom, Oba Josiah Aina.
The lecture hall was donated by Aina to mark the anniversary.
The governor said that the Oba’s gesture was worthy of emulation, as the facility would be complementary to those being built on the campus by the state government.
He said that the buildings being erected on the campus were part of the projects initiated after the school was upgraded from a College of Education to a university, by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Sanwo-Olu said that Lagos, as a big city with a high population of young people, was being underserved by one university, necessitating the need to raise the standards of LASPOTECH and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, elevating them to raise human capital.
”Education and technology have been the key parts of our deliverables.
”This objective can only be achieved when we have standard tertiary institutions offering competitive opportunities to raise human capital.
”The late Alhaji Lateef Jakande gave us Lagos State University over 40 years ago.
”Why should we not build more on this solid foundation? As big as Lagos is, with a huge population, having one state university does not befit us.
”Lagos cabinet, with the approval of the House of Assembly and NUC, set up two more universities to complement LASU and we got the approvals to establish the schools at the same time.”
Sanwo-Olu said that the dream had come true and Oto-Awori Kingdom was a beneficiary.
”The gesture of Oto-Awori king to support our efforts to improve access to education with the donation of a lecture hall is an act that is worthy of emulation,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said that he had approved the construction of a 750-seater Lecture Theatre on LASUED campus, and directed the procurement of two high-capacity buses for students, to aid their mobility to and from the campus.
He also offered free campus-wide high-speed internet for research work and another academic usage.
Sanwo-Olu used the occasion to appeal to towns enmeshed in communal crisis in the area to embrace peace.
He cautioned all parties against the destruction of properties and public facilities, stressing that development would only happen in an atmosphere of peace.
The governor congratulated Aina for the milestones the kingdom attained during his reign, describing him as ” a man of peace.
”Kabiesi has not only invited us to celebrate with him on the occasion of his 15th coronation anniversary, but he has also challenged all of us in giving back to our communities.
”His gesture is worthy of emulation and this makes him a man of his words.
”This is why I personally come here to identify with him and the entire Oto-Awori Kingdom in the Badagry Division,” he said.
The Oba said that his gesture to support the government’s intervention in education was borne out of his pledge to assist indigent people, hence, surmounting impediments preventing them from going to school.
Aina recalled how he could not finish his academic programme at Ondo State University, ”because of the N6,000 fee.”
He promised to embark on more education-focused projects to support the government’s efforts.
