Management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the United Nations Development Programme Regional Bureau for Africa (UNDP Africa) on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, performed the official ground-breaking ceremony of the UNILAG Unipod, the debut and one out of seven to be spread across different universities in Nigeria.
Situated along Commercial Road in UNILAG Akoka Campus, the artificial intelligence (AI)-themed facility is expected to serve as a hub for the hatchery of creativity and innovation among students of the University. It is to be completed and commissioned before the end of December 2024.
The event kicked off with a public lecture at the Senate Chamber of the UNILAG Senate House delivered by the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, UNDP’s Assistant Administrator & Regional Director for Africa, Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa.
Titled: Nigeria: The Anchor of Africa’s Economic Transformation, the lecture saw Ms Eziakonwa applauding successive managements of UNILAG for growing and nurturing the university into its enviable position of all-round global impact and relevance.
The UNDP Regional Director for Africa acknowledged the sheer abundance of confidence, deep sense of humanity, strength, resilience, determination and talents among Nigerians. She identified these values as prerequisites for the desired transformation and development.
To position Nigeria as the true continental force for peace, transformation and development, Ms Eziakonwa advocated intentional economic transformational drive, adoption of a regional value chain and spirited efforts towards growing all initiatives.
She challenged all tiers of government to address energy shortage in Nigeria, invest more in knowledge-economy and intellectual research as well as grow the political will which will engender the right political climate and change the negative perception about government, governance and citizens of the country before the global community.
In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos and host of the event, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, described the public lecture by the UNDP Regional Director for Africa as a call to action and a challenge to all stakeholders and policy makers.
While assuring of UNILAG management’s avowed resolve, all-time readiness and commitment to partnerships which would help grow, nurture and actualize innovation and creativity, Prof. Ogunsola identified the UNILAG UniPod project as the beginning of another enduring legacy to reinforce the University’s spot as a hub for creativity and innovation.
The UNDP Regional Director for Africa who was accompanied by the Resident Representative, UNDP Nigeria; Elsie Attafuah had earlier paid a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola in her office during which the UNDP officials gave thumbs up to UNILAG for the enthusiasm and sheer commitment towards ensuring a smooth take-off of the first UniPod in Nigeria.
Talks about UNILAG UniPod dates back to April 2024 when Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, hosted the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, and assured of UNILAG’s readiness to host the UniPod facility as a platform to support innovation and channel creativity and ingenuities towards solving contemporaneous problems.
Click this link for more https://unilag.edu.ng/?p=35593.
Report: Gbenga Gbelee
Photography: Michael Joshua
