Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, former Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, has charged managements of Nigerian Universities to diversify sources of funding and redouble efforts on productive researches.
Ogundipe gave the charge in his lecture titled ” University Governance and Traditions in Nigeria; Issues, Challenges and Prospects” organized by Academic Staff Union (ASUU), Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS) Chapter on Wednesday in Sokoto.
He event was part of ”Heroes Day” in honour of retiring members and a validictory lecture in honour of outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lawal Bilbis.
He stressed that universities should attract more friends, initiate viable ventures through utilizing thier distinctive location’s needs inorder to attract more income generation.
According to him, statutory allocations were grossly inadequate to cater for divers needs in the universities noting that universities should intensify efforts to attract domestic and foreign research grants.
Ogundipe added that through the efforts universities would enhance thier services, academic excellence and workers welfare, stressing the need for more innovative ways for industrial revolution using university system.
” Universities are left alone as parents and guardians only prepared to matriculate and graduation of students.
” These could be observed during the eight months strike embarked by academic staff, parents, students and labour unions left us to fight for our selves, ” Ogundipe lamented.
The former Vice Chancellor explained that during his stewardship, he attracted N18 billion research grants to University of Lagos.
He urged university management to consider all potentialities thier surroundings and explore opportunities to generating more income to their respective institutions.
Speaking also, ASUU branch chairman, Prof. Nurudeen Mustapha, said the event was organized to appreciate excellent stewardship and dedication of union members that contributed to knowledge development and university growth.
Mustapha said the retired personnel footprints and outgoing Vice Chancellor Prof. Bilbis have distinguished themselves in various areas and needed to be celebrated for future intellectuals to emulate.
In his remark, Prof. Bilbis described the gathering as acknowledgement of dedicated individuals who dedicated their lives for scholarship growth in the university system.
He expressed appreciation to organisers adding that he considered service to humanity as exalted position in the living and enjoined people to contribute their qoata in service delivery.
Newsmen reports that retired academicians who served UDUS and attained 70 years in life were recognized with awards and cash donations from ASUU including deceased persons.
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