DAY 2A

WELCOME ADDRESS OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR, LAGOS STATE

UNIVERSITY, PROFESSOR IBIYEMI IBILOLA OLATUNJI-
BELLO, mni AT THE 25TH CONVOCATION CEREMONIES
LECTURE OF THE LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY HELD ON
THURSDAY, 24TH MARCH, 2022

1. Mr. Governor Sir, the Governor of Lagos State and Visitor,

Lagos State University, Mr. Babajide Olusola SANWO-OLU
2. His Excellency, Rt. Honourable Aminu Bello MASARI,
Governor of Katsina State and Chairman, Convocation Lecture
3. His Excellency, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, the Governor of
Borno State
4. His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar GANDUJE, Governor of
Kano State
5. The Convocation Lecturer and former Governor of Lagos
State, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed TINUBU
6. The Deputy Governor, Lagos State, His Excellency, Dr. Kadri
Obafemi HAMZAT
7. The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable
Mudashiru OBASA and by extension all Honourable Members
of the State House of Assembly here present
8. The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Honourable Justice Kazeem
ALOGBA
9. The Chancellor, Lagos State University, Prof. Gbolahan Elias,
SAN
10. Our Royal Majesties, Highnesses and High Chiefs here present
11. Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Sherifat Folashade
JAJI
12. Head of Service, Lagos State Government – Mr. Hakeem Muri
OKUNOLA and the Body of Permanent Secretaries of Lagos State
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 13. Chief of Staff, Lagos State Government, Mr. Tayo Ayinde
14. Members of the State Executive Council here present, in
particular, my darling Husband, the Commissioner for
Environment & Water Resources
15. Our Chairman, Sir David O. A. Sunmoni and other Members of
the Governing Council here present
16. Chairmen of Local Governments and LCDAs here present
17. Heads of other Tertiary Institutions here present
18. Principal Officers of Lagos State University
19. Distinguished Professor Peter OKEBUKOLA, (OFR)
20. Members of the University Senate
21. Top Government Functionaries and Heads of Ministerial
Agencies, here present
22. Ag. Provost, Deans of Schools and Faculties
23. Directors of Non-Teaching Centres and Directorates
24. Religious/Community Leaders
25. Iyaloja and members of Market Men and Women Associations
here present
26. Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Lagos State Council –
Chief Mrs. Funmi Sessi
27. Chairmen and Members of Staff Unions
28. The President, Lagos State University Students’ Union and
members of his exco
29. Our Dedicated Staff and World Class Students
30. Gentlemen of the Press
31. Distinguished personalities
32. Ladies and Gentlemen
It is with profound pleasure and singular honour that I join the
Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellor and on behalf of the Council, Senate,
Management, Staff and Students of the Lagos State University to
welcome you to our 25th Convocation Ceremonies.
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Recall that the Ceremonies commenced with a Press Conference held
on Wednesday, 16th March, Staff Sports Competition on Thursday, 17 th,
Jumat Service on Friday, 18th, followed by a Special Thanksgiving
Service on Sunday, 20th, while the Coconut Breaking Ceremony and
the Convocation Play Command Performance took place on Monday,
21st.

Today, we are gathered for a significant activity of the Ceremonies,

the Convocation Lecture, which will be delivered by a former
Governor of Lagos State, a Visitor to our University, and National
leader of All Progressive Congress (APC).

Permit me, therefore, to welcome most specially and with every sense
of humility, our Convocation Lecturer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to
the Lagos State University. I want to publicly register our
appreciation, as I have done in private, to you Sir, for doing us the
honour of accepting to deliver, in spite of your extremely busy
schedule, the 25th Convocation Lecture, titled: Global Trends: Nigeria's
Rightful Place in the World. At such a time in Nigeria, we cannot think
of a better personality as qualified as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to
give a suitable lecture on this subject.

The entire university community is, therefore, grateful for this

magnanimous gesture, and not only that, for your indelible
contributions to the heights that this great university has attained
today. Indeed, your part in the history of LASU will forever be written
in gold for your crucial and lasting interventions as the Visitor to our
University between 1999 and 2007.

My special recognition goes to our Visitor and Governor of Lagos

State, Mr. Babajide Olusola SANWO-OLU who has been a strong pillar
providing the necessary support we require to adequately deliver on
our mandate which today’s convocation ceremonies signifies.

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I am also delighted to welcome, most respectfully, the Chairman of
today's occasion, His Excellency, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, the
Governor of Katsina State, who graciously accepted to Chair this
occasion. We do not take for granted the personal sacrifice involved
in coming from far-away Katsina to honour us at this august occasion.
We thank you most sincerely sir. I am convinced that His Excellency's
profound interventions will further enrich this Lecture.

I welcome all our Distinguished guests from across the length and
breath of Nigeria, who have come to congratulate us on this occasion
of our Convocation Ceremonies. I welcome specially members of the
Lagos State Excos, House of Assembly, Chairmen of Local
Government, royal fathers, friends and associates of our Guest
Lecturer. Your presence here, today, has added colour to the
Convocation Ceremonies.

Your excellences, beyond the Award of Certificates, Diplomas and

Degrees, which is the hallmark of Convocation Ceremonies, the
Convocation Lecture forms an integral activity that is usually highly
anticipated by the academic community during Ceremonies such as
this. The reason is simple: Convocation Lectures provide the
opportunity for the gown (the university) to invite and listen to highly
accomplished individuals in society (the town) as they share their
insightful perspectives on any topical issue, especially those relevant
to the development of the institution. The lecture, apart from
stimulating public consciousness and opinion on such issues, shapes
government policies and reawakens the academia to our often-
neglected role of being the solution hub for societal challenges.
Today's lecture will be no different.

The 25th Convocation Lecture, titled "Global Trends: Nigeria's

Rightful Place in the World is, therefore, as timely and as relevant as it
can get especially in the wake of recent global developments, and
who else can deepen our knowledge on the topic than the
Convocation Lecturer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man who is as
Nigerian as any Nigerian can be.
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Your excellencies, our choice of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the
Convocation Lecturer is meticulously and carefully thought out,
informed by his pedigree as an outstanding and visionary leader who
has significantly contributed to our trajectory as a nation, especially
the survival and enrichment of our democracy, even in the face of
personal sacrifice.

Asiwaju has committed himself to learning and perfecting the act of

sound leadership, ultimately for the benefit of the people of Lagos, his
primary constituency, the South West, his wider constituency and the
nation as a whole. His natural acumen for leadership, coupled with his
sound political education and the mentorship of many great
politicians in the history of Nigeria makes him one of the most
remarkable politicians in Nigeria, and Africa, since the turn of the 4th
Republic. He is indeed a true and excellent people’s builder.

A pan Nigerian, Asiwaju's influence and reach cut across the major
geographical and geopolitical zones of the nation. He is a bridge
builder who has consistently lent himself to what is good and
beneficial not just to the people of the South West, but to all
Nigerians. His title as the Jagaban Borgu earned from far away in
Niger State speaks volume to this effect.

Such a man, therefore, possesses rich insight into the topic of this
Convocation Lecture and I am convinced that we will be better off
listening to him today.

This Lecture is coming at a critical time in our world's history when

nations are grappling with the realities of war in faraway Europe, the
vestiges of the Covid-19 pandemic and its attendant economic and
social challenges, and issues of climate change amongst others.

As far as leadership is concerned, the country has over the years

produced outstanding leaders of various world organisations and in
terms of human capital, Nigeria has an abundance of quality
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individuals, who are contributing in large measure not only in Nigeria
and the African Continent, but also on the global stage. These are in
spite of the various challenges we face as a nation.

These developments essentially make Nigeria’s place a critical one in

global affairs. Indeed, her economic status, political leadership, human
resources and location make the country a central piece of global
trends.

Our strengths as a sovereign nation confer on us certain privileged

positions in the scheme of things globally. However, the big issue
around the lecture today is how Nigeria can take her Rightful Place in
the World. I have no doubt that today’s lecture will provide answers
to that.

We are a University on a mission and until that mission is

accomplished, we will not rest on our oars.

Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I urge you to

pay undivided attention to our lecturer as we all have something to
learn from his words of wisdom.

We are LASU, We are Great.

Thank you.

Prof. Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, mni

Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University
24th March, 2022.