From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
Raji Fashola (SAN), Former Governor of Lagos State and Immediate Past Minister, Works and Housing has disclosed that one of the cardinal objectives of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be birthing new generation of leaders.
Fashola made the disclosure while speaking to the media at the 5th Lagos State University (LASU) Research & Innovation Fair which took place at the Makanjuola Lecture Hall at the institution’s main campus at Ojo, Lagos State, on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.
Fashola who was the Special Guest at the event in his Keynote spoke on the theme, ‘Harnessing Sustainable Research and Innovation in Nigerian universities towards National Growth and Development.’
While responding to question on the composition of Tinubu’s cabinet and his absence on the list, he said “You see the president can only appoint at least one minister, for example, from each state, he has done that, and we are estimated to be 200 million people; so there are not enough offices to take everybody.
“Look, we are also talking about the next generation, so if some don’t move on, where is the space for the next batch? So we need to bring more outstanding public spirited people to occupy spaces as they evolve. I think that you will see a lot of a reasonable number of youthful people in the cabinet and hopefully that is the trend that we long for. So part of his rule; in my view, will be birthing the next generation of leaders, so that is what is next,” Fashola stated.
Fashola also commended the Vice Chancellor of LASU, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello for upholding the good programmes of her predecessor. “I commend her because amongst other things, she has found value in the work of her predecessor and she has chosen to improve on it. That is a remarkable value.”
He further urged office holders to stop de-marketing their predecessors just to be relevant. “You do not have to delegitimize your predecessor in order to legitimize yourself.”
While welcoming her guests to LASU, the best university in West Africa, the Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello said research fairs are designed to foster lasting collaboration and partnership between key stakeholders in academia and the industry to positively impact society and humanity at large, stating that the outcome of a research fair must both be innovative and practicable “You would agree with me that the outcome of a research fair of this nature must both be innovative and practicable. This is expected to have a measurable impact on the industrial ecosystem in terms of ease of production, and the discovery of more cost efficient production process.”
She said it is the determination of LASU to actualize the goals of research the fair, adding that she has the confidence that the speakers at the Fair will steer the conversation to endangering development across board. “And I have the confidence that the pedigree of the assemblage of rich minds here will steer the conversations to engendering development across board.”
Other Guest Speakers include Professor Wellington A. Oyibo, Director, Centre for Transdisciplinary Research in Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, University of Lagos, who spoke on the subtheme, Translating Research Output into Sustainable Development; Professor Gloria Elemo, a Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, & former Director General, Federal Institute for Raw Research, Oshodi, FIRRO, she dwelt on the subtheme, Digitizing Research for 21th Century Challenges; and Professor Ganiyu Oboh, former Director, Centre for Research and Development, FUTA, Akure, he was illed to speak on Role of Intellectual Property Rights in the Socio economic Development of Nigeria, but was unavoidably absent.
Sir David Olabanji Sunmoni, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, LASU Governing Council, doubled as the chairman of the occasion. While the Director, Directorate of Research Management & Innovation, Prof. Adejuwon Adewale Adeneye also delivered the welcome address.
