Prepare for the World Beyond UNILAG Walls”, Prof Ogunsola Charges Outgoing Student-Leaders

“Prepare for the World Beyond UNILAG Walls”, Prof Ogunsola Charges Outgoing Student-Leaders

Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS has harped on the need for responsibility, values and character to be the watchword for every Nigerian youth.

Prof. Ogunsola also cautioned against what she called toxic generosity and entitlement mentality”, trends which she said sabotages the sense of industry among several other important virtues needed to function effectively in contemporary society.

This formed the core of Prof. Ogunsola’s wisdom nuggets while hosting outgoing Student-Leaders across all faculties of UNILAG to a dinner at the Lagos Continental Hotel, V.I., Lagos on Sunday, August 11, 2024.

The Vice-Chancellor appreciated the outgoing Student-Leaders’ cooperation with the university management in sustaining peace and tranquillity on campus. She also applauded them for being of good character and quality leadership all through their tenure, a feat which, according Prof Ogunsola, lends credence to the university management’s believe in the capacity of students to excel if and when given the chance.

Prof. Ogunsola described leadership as at every level as a challenging task especially when viewed against the backdrop of fast declining moral values and scarce nature of resources, issues which have continued to hinder the pace of attainable growths and quality of followership.

Prof. Ogunsola particularly expressed deep concerns over the rate of dependency, entitlement mentality and moral bankruptcy especially among the teeming youths, vices which she said must be quickly nipped in the bud to avert a disastrous future.

While reminiscing on her years as a student of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife), Prof. Ogunsola recalled with nostalgia, the assurances, opportunities and privileges which comes with being a university student as well as the responsibility, values and strength of character which the society confers on every individual as against the now prevalent culture of corruption, outright irresponsibility and overreliance on government for survival.

She lauded the paradigm shift in thinking and ongoing campaign for moral reorientation across different strata, Prof Ogunsola therefore challenged the outgoing student-leaders to see their sojourn in UNILAG as a preparatory class for the real world.

She also implored them to “approach the next phase of their lives with utmost sense of responsibility, diligence and good courage, re-examine their self-worth, shun vices and avoid short cuts which could spell doom for them in future”.

The Vice-Chancellor also assured of the university management’s commitment towards foster stronger interaction with students while grooming them into “fit-for-purpose workforce” to drive national and global development.

Report: Gbenga Gbelee

Photography: Ayomide Oloyede

Source: UNILAG