Lagos State University (LASU) will confer an honorary doctorate on business mogul Aliko Dangote and two other distinguished Nigerians at its forthcoming convocation ceremonies. 

The Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, disclosed this at a news conference to announce the university’s 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies.

Ms Olatunji-Bello said the LASU Senate approved the honorary doctorate in recognition of the recipients’ contributions to national development, scholarship, public service, and humanity.

She said that Dangote would receive a Doctor of Business Honoris Causa for his contributions to entrepreneurship and industrial and human capital development.

“Mr Akin Kekere-Ekun will receive a Doctor of Business Honoris Causa for his contributions to entrepreneurship, finance, and management.

“Mrs Harriet-Ann Omobola will also receive a Doctor of Business Honoris Causa for her contributions to corporate finance and governance,” she said.

The vice-chancellor said that the university would also elevate two academics, Rafiu Okuneye and herself, to the rank of distinguished professor.

She said the elevation was in recognition of their outstanding contributions to teaching, research, mentorship, and advancement of knowledge.

Ms Olatunji-Bello congratulated the graduating students, commending their parents, guardians, lecturers, and other LASU staff for guidance, encouragement, and sacrifices.

She said that LASU recorded remarkable progress in academic development, research, innovation, infrastructure, digital transformation, international collaborations, and student success in the past years.

According to her, LASU’s Bachelor of Science programmes in Chemical and Process Engineering and Mechanical Engineering secured professional accreditation from the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.  

She said the programmes were accredited under the outcome-based education framework, strengthening the university’s commitment to academic excellence and professional standards.

Ms Olatunji-Bello added that the National Universities Commission approved 17 new academic programmes at LASU following a successful resource assessment.

She listed the programmes to include cyber security, software engineering, data science, information and communication technology, music education, social studies education, and advertising.

Others include development and communication studies, journalism and media studies, film and multimedia studies, broadcasting, information and media studies, and public relations.

The vice-chancellor added that strategic communication, entrepreneurship, film production, and tourism and hospitality management were also approved.

She said that special education, library science, architecture, fine arts, linguistics, taxation, and communication and media studies also secured full accreditation.

According to her, the programmes also passed resource assessment, reflecting LASU’s commitment to addressing emerging national and global manpower needs.

Ms Olatunji-Bello said that the inauguration of the university’s Babajide Sanwo-Olu Library Complex marked another major milestone in its academic infrastructure development.

She described the facility as widely acknowledged as the largest and most digitalised university library in West Africa.

The vice-chancellor expressed appreciation to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for commitment to education and the institution’s development.

She also thanked the state Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule; the LASU Governing Council Chairman, Babatunde Ogala (SAN); and the university’s Senate and its management for their efforts. 

Ms Olatunji-Bello commended the academic and non-teaching staff of LASU, students, alumni, development partners and friends for contributing to its progress.

The convocation ceremonies will begin on Friday (August 14) with Coconut Breaking and Cultural Day at the university’s main gate.

The event, scheduled for 9:00 a.m., will be followed by a Convocation Jumat Service at the university mosque.

The vice-chancellor said that diplomas, first degrees, postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees in engineering and agricultural sciences would be conferred on August 17.

She said the ceremony would take place at the Olatunji-Bello Auditorium, Epe Campus, where the two academics would also be elevated to the position of Distinguished Professor.

She added that the convocation lecture would be held on August 18 at the Buba Marwa Auditorium, LASU, Ojo Campus.

She said the lecture entitled “From LASU to the World: Harnessing the Nigerian Diaspora as the Seventh Region for National Development,” would be delivered by the chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

“Hon. Tasir Wale Raji, Member, House of Representatives, Epe Federal Constituency, will chair the occasion,” she said.

Ms Olatunji-Bello said that diplomas, first degrees, postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees would be conferred on graduands from the remaining faculties after the lecture.

She said that August 19 would feature the conferment of professional and academic doctorate degrees.

The vice-chancellor said the convocation ceremonies would end on August 23 with a special convocation thanksgiving service.

“The service will hold at the University Chapel, Chapel of Light, Ojo Campus,” she added. 

(NAN)