Obafemi Hamzat, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State has been appointed as an ambassador of the University of Ibadan (UI).
The investiture was performed on Tuesday at Alausa, Lagos,
during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the university led by Vice Chancellor
Prof. Kayode Adebowale.
Prof. Adebowale decorated Dr Hamzat as an Ambassador of the
institution at its 75th anniversary.
It would be recalled that Hamzat earned his agricultural
engineering Master’s Degree from UI in 1988 after graduating in 1986.
The Deputy Governor thanked the delegation for their praise
and assured them that he would work with other university products to make it
even better.
According to Hamzat, the government cannot sustain
institutions on its own and instead needs the help of well-meaning Nigerians.
“University is the only environment where ideas are
galvanised and brought to fruition through innovations, patents among others.
For a country to be great, there must be good funding, then all hands must be
on deck.
“Also, universities, especially the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) should work hand in hand with the government in order to
make sure that we have better and quality education,” he said.
Hamzat, therefore, charged stakeholders and individuals in
the society who are financially capable of supporting universities in
development projects.
According to him, alumni associations should be encouraged
to give back to the institutions where they graduated from.
The vice chancellor in his remarks commended the deputy
governor for being very proactive as an alumnus of the institution.
Adebowale said the investiture was a testament to the good
character and excellence of the deputy governor.
“We are proud of you as an alumnus and for your various contributions
to the development of the school,” he said.