Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA), Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa and members of the House who graduatred from the Lagos State University (LASU) have pledged their support and commitment to two projects of the LASU Alumni Association.
The Speaker gave the commitment on Tuesday on Tuesday when he received Executives and leaders of the Alumni Association led by its Vice President, Norrison Quakers, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Speaker Obasa was responding to earlier remarks by Quakers and Teju Sonoiki, Chairman of Board of Trustees of the Association, who briefed him and three other Honourable members about two give-back projects of the body: an International Conference Centre, and Digitization of Records.
He said “On the the International Conference Centre and Digitization of Records projects, on behalf of my colleagues who have passed through that school, I want to assure you we shall do our own bit.
“We will support the Association in our dream to take LASU to that international level.
“That would not be all. We will also take a step to discuss it with the executive as well. LASU is our own in Lagos. It is our image. And we will do everything to ensure that institution can compete with any other not only in Nigeria, but in the whole world.”
While noting that majority of members of LAHA are ex-LASUites, Obasa said “Coming here is to remind us of the need to come back home, and join hands with you so that we can continue to sustain the glory of our alma mater.
“I want to assure you that I will pass your message to other members of LAHA who are LASUites, so that we can start doing what is expected of us.”
He said he was in LASU a few months ago and was highly impressed with what he saw, adding “Looking at the aesthetic nature of the school now, to my knowledge, there is hardly any institution that LASU cannot compete with shoulder to shoulder.”
He commended the Alumni Association, saying ‘it is because we have you people, paying attention, showing interest that has taken it to that level. And of course those in charge.’
Earlier, Norrison Quakers, who represented the President of the Association, Maj. Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe had congratulated the Speaker on his appointment even though the Association had done a formal letter in that regard.
He said the visit was to identify with him and to state that we are proud of the laws being enacted in Lagos State under his watch, flowing from the settled philosophy that law is an instrument for social engineering.
He noted that several laws have been passed to move Lagos ahead of other states.
The second reason of the visit, he said, was to plead with him to identify with the Alumni association particularly as regards the rebranding initiative extending to the raising of a N100 million towards the building of an international conference centre, supporting research by creating a research fund, scholarships, amongst others.
Also Speaking earlier, Sonoiki described Speaker Obasa as “our pride. Not becuase you are the Speaker, but the way you are been conducting the affairs of the legislative chamber.”
He said a rebrading exercise embarked on by the Association has culminated in the two projects, International Conference Centre and Digitization of Records.
Leaders and members of the Association present at the meeting were: Norrison Quakers (SAN), Teju Sonoiki, Prof. Gbenga Oladimeji, Biodun Durojaiye, Kemi Kalesanwo, Ralph Nwafor, Bunmi Awonaya, Dupe Adefolarin, Akeem Animashaun Esq., Musiliu Aigoro, Martin Olanigan
