UNILAG VC Address World Press Ahead of Golden Jubilee Convocation

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Rahamon A. Bello, FAEng on Monday, January 28, 2013 addressed newsmen ahead of the Golden Jubilee Convocation Ceremonies of the University.

The Press Conference was attended by Principal Officers, staff and students of the University along with representatives of various media organisations.

Below is the full text of the Vice-Chancellor’s address at the World Press Conference:

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the most preferred University - the University of First Choice and the Nation’s Pride, University of Lagos.

This is my first official interaction with you gentlemen of the fourth estate of the realm since my appointment as the 11th Vice-Chancellor of the University on the 12th November, 2012. I will, therefore, seize this opportunity to thank you immensely for assisting to project the image of the University of Lagos to the outside world. I look forward to a stronger partnership between the media and the University of Lagos in the days ahead.

Gentlemen of the Press,  today’s media briefing is principally designed to kick- start our Golden Jubilee Convocation, which is the crescendo of our 50th Anniversary Celebrations, that started earlier in 2012. The occasion of this Press Conference will afford us the opportunity of a face- to- face interaction, which we expect should assist in better understanding and more objective reporting by the media on issues concerning the University.
As you all know that the University of Lagos was established by the 1962 Act of Parliament with the mandate to:
•        encourage the advancement of learning and to hold out to all persons without
distinction of race, creed, sex or political conviction.
•        provide courses of instruction and other facilities for the pursuit of learning in all its branches, and to make those facilities available on proper terms to such persons as are equipped to benefit  from them.
•        encourage, promote and conduct research in all fields of learning and human endeavour; and
•        undertake any other activities appropriate for a University of the highest standard.

I am happy to inform you today that by our reckoning the University of Lagos has lived up to the aspiration of the founding fathers to a large extent. The University began with a medical school and two other schools: Business & Social Studies, and Law. The Faculties of Arts, Education, Engineering and Science were added in 1964.

From this humble beginning and in spite of all challenges, the University of Lagos has metamorphosed into a “Centre of Excellence” having three campuses at Akoka, Idi-Araba and Yaba, with a College of Medicine, a Distance Learning Institute, a School of Postgraduate Studies and twelve (12) Faculties, namely: Arts, Business Administration, Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Dental Sciences, Education, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Law, Pharmacy, Social Sciences and Science. Today, the University of Lagos has been ranked as the first and best University in Nigeria and the 16th best in Africa.

As at the last Convocation, the University has produced one hundred and forty- seven thousand, eight hundred and thirty five (147, 835) graduates, many of whom are captains of industry and a large compliment of who can be found at the helm of affairs in both the public and private sectors, locally and internationally. I want to assure you that our University will continue to march along the path of excellence and with the help of the Almighty; we are already on course to become the number one and best University in Africa.

Golden Jubilee Convocation
Gentlemen of the fourth estate of the realm, I am happy to announce through you to the world that the Golden Jubilee Convocation will take place in the Multi-Purpose Halls of the University on Wednesday, February 6 and Thursday, February 7, 2013 and the Main Auditorium of the University on Friday, February 8, 2013.