At a colourful Investiture ceremony, the University of Lagos has robed Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, FAS as the institution’s 13th substantive Vice-Chancellor.
The investiture ceremony which was well attended by top dignitaries, captains of industries, members of the diplomatic corps, notable members of the academia as well as former President of Nigeria and Nationalist, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR took place at the J.F Ade-Ajayi Auditorium of the University on Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
It was graced by family members of the Vice Chancellor including her husband, Mr. Olusegun Ogunsola, FCA; colleagues; associates; friends and well-wishers irrespective of their cultural leanings.
The highpoint of the event was the official presentation of the helmswoman to the world after she took the oath of office as performed by the Pro-Chancellor, Distinguished Senator (Dr) Prince Lanrewaju Tejuosho. She was also presented the instruments of office, including her appointment letter, ceremonial gown and university maze amidst wild jubilation amongst the audience.
The newly installed Vice-Chancellor disclosed that her priority is to make the institution future-ready, with the promotion of infrastructure growth, expanding research discoveries, building sound character and globally impactful workforce, while creating a fully automated university.
She described the occasion as a very special one as it coincides with the institution’s 60th anniversary celebration and being the first woman Vice-Chancellor in its history to be so honoured.
While alluding to the many achievements that have been made by previous administrations since the establishment of the university, she informed that technological innovations today are more than ever challenging universities especially with the apparent upsurge in disruptive technologies with convergence of the physical, biological, and digital worlds.
As such, she emphasized on the need to create a university that can prepare for the rapidly changing future, notwithstanding, the deplorable infrastructure, huge costs of public utilities services, especially electricity, inadequate funding, constant disruptions in academic calendars occasioned by incessant industrial actions.
She highlighted some of her goals in re-positioning the University of Lagos in an acronym, ‘FUTURE READY’ to include re-engineering the institution for multiple streams of income, investing in human capital both teaching and non-teaching cadres, strengthening internationalization and expanding its network, broadening the scope of research and development, enhancing staff and students experience, decolorizing education with some infusion of culture by celebrating the institution’s history, thus yielding positive minds for a better and well- repositioned Alumni body.
To make the institution future ready, the Vice- Chancellor said there must be easy access to its data and synchronisation of different campuses to deliver policies and activities that enhance its productivity, reduce turnaround time, and ease the process of meeting academic expectations and satisfaction of staff, students, alumni, and other stakeholders. In her words, “…the full realisation of the teaching research and skills development pillars requires technology. I am committed to fully automating the university and linking our three (3) campuses of Akoka, Idi-Araba and Yaba. Automation will ease our data storage, retrieval and analysis and improve administrative, financial and academic activities especially in Records, Students, and Academic Affairs.
The investiture ceremony is the third to be held since it was instituted under the leadership of erstwhile Pro-Chancellor, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode. The 11th Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rahman Ade Bello was the first to be so decorated in a glamorous event in any Nigerian university.
For more on the investiture ceremony, follow this link: https://youtu.be/sA6149Az72w
