UNILAG among beneficiaries of N30m professorial Chair Endowment Fund -VC

CHINYERE IKEANYI

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, has disclosed that the institution was recently selected as one of the University beneficiaries of a professorial Chair Endowment Fund worth N30million by the National Communication Commission

Prof. Ogunsola, who disclosed this in her speech delivered during the Media Parley at the Senate Chamber of the University last Thursday, identified staff housing; funding and security as some challenges confronting the University.

The VC said despite these challenges coupled with the grim economic climate and many disruptions, her administration since assumption of office on November 14, 2022 has made steady progress, adding that: “We were determined to push forward to ensure that the University could grow and deliver on its mandate of teaching, research and service through the Future-ready agenda that is encapsulated by the four pillars of growth: Growing the Finance, Growing the infrastructure, Growing the Reputation and Growing the Manpower (FIRM)”.

“This last year was one of consolidation, seed sowing and growth which we have achieved by building on our strengths, strengthening and developing new partnerships and facilitating the creativity and initiatives of staff and students. We have been putting in place the building blocks to make UNILAG FUTURE-READY”, she stated.

The VC explained that the professorial Chair Endowment Fund “is to enhance focused-research activities and improve the quality of “industry-ready” graduates produced by the university in telecommunications and Social Sciences, areas that greatly impact the activities of the Commission and Telecom industry”.

Still under Reputation Building, the VC further disclosed that Havillah Group publishing company, which donated books worth N20million to the University, was the First private organization to reach out to her administration, stating that Total Energies also donated laboratory and fieldwork equipment contained (in over 71 cartons) for training Geoscience students to understand and interpretate ditch cuttings and mud logs obtained from wells during drilling operations.

• ”We are recording significant collaborations with other global players in the higher education sector with significant and visible in research and other academic collaborations. Notable among these are the evolving partnerships with Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, University of Dundee, Kansas State University, University of Alabama and NIHR, to mention a few. Out of these, we have been able to enhance student and staff mobility, research collaborations to respond shared and global challenges. One thing that stands out here is what I would like to describe as our appeal as a partner of repute in the higher education sector globally.

“Our efforts at advancing our contributions to industry development in Nigeria culminated in the strengthening of our collaboration with Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office (NNHO). This has resulted in the Senate-approved Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Hydrographic Surveying. We have also partnered with LASEMA in Disaster Management to train the UNILAG Fire Service personnel, and with input from industry through this collaboration, we have redesigned the curriculum of the Masters in Disaster Management (MDM). We have also signed partnership agreements with Institute of Directors, Nigeria”, Prof. Ogunsola stated.

She added: “We are convinced that our reputation is what is working to ensure that our kitty of donations and endowments continues to enlarge as we receive support from various donors”.

In the area of infrastructure, the VC said her administration has not been found wanting, pointing out that the 61 year-old institution has a mix of new and aging infrastructure and that most of which are timeless.

According to her, majestic buildings such as the Senate building, Ade Ajayi auditorium, Arts and Engineering faculties and the University library as well as student hostels such as Moremi, Jaja, Mariere, to name a few that have significant emotional value to alumni.

“Our administration is determined to ensure that these national assets are preserved and to this end we have prioritized the renovation and upgrade of old facilities while commencing the building of new ones”, she said.

Talking about hostel upgrade, the VC said the University commenced comprehensive infrastructure upgrade and rehabilitation of Mariere hall, and the renovated structure would be available for occupation by January 2024.

“More limited renovations were carried out in 7 hostels, (Moremi, Fagunwa, Jaja, Makama Bida and Eni Njoku, Amina and Biobaku Hostels.). The rooms, windows, nettings, doors, ceilings, floor tiles, toilets are being repaired. The rebuilding of block G of Moremi Hall is on-going and work has also started on the rehabilitation of the Honors Hostel. Both renovated halls should be ready in 2024 to ensure that more of our students have succour from daily commute”, she stated.

On growing the finances, the VC who said inadequate funding of the University was a known fact, stated: “It is clear that we need to have new ways of generating revenue to meet our financial obligations. The raising of the obligatory fees was a difficult but necessary decision that had been taken even before the subsidy removal. This was to reduce the growing deficit. The fees still mean that the University can continue to subsidize the education.

“As at today, over 32,778, undergraduate students have registered in both Akoka and Idi-Araba and I am glad to state that as we promised, no student has dropped out because of the increase in obligatory fees. To date, 765 indigent students have benefitted from various student support schemes including scholarships to cover obligatory fees, Adopt-an-Akokite, free meal ticket per day and work study”, Ogunsola explained.

Other achievements of her administration, she said, could be seen in the areas of “Going Green, Sports, ·Deeping Community Relations; stating that: “Under my leadership, the University continues to work to strengthen its community relations. In furtherance of this, the University continues to cultivate harmonious relations with key traditional rulers including Oba Rilwan Aremu Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos and Oba Suleiman Owolabi, the new Olu of Iwaya, Iwaya Kingdom”.

On challenges facing the institution, the UNILAG VC stated: “Staff Housing: Housing of staff is one of our major challenges. We have striven to democratize the procedures for the allocation of all accommodation including Boys Quarters on campus. We are also engaging in remodelling of some of the structures housing staff residences with a view to creating more spaces to alleviate the housing challenges that many of our staff face. One of our strategies is to adapt the bigger duplexes to two-bedroom flats.

“Funding: This remains a challenge to optimizing quality education delivery, but we are not relenting in our efforts. We are hopeful that our initiatives, some of which we have highlighted above, will be complemented with government support to improve the situation soon.

“Security: In closing I must note that we are beginning to experience unprecedented threats to the security of university property. In this year, we experienced incessant attacks on university property but I will say that the combined efforts of our security agents and the Nigerian Police have helped to stem the tide. We will continue to ensure that we keep our campuses safe”.

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