LASU Foundation Completes Construction of 96-Bed-Hostel Facility
Some eminent Lagosians under the aegis of LASU Development Foundation (LASUDEF) have built and handed over a 96-bed hostel facility for use of students of the University.
The facility, located behind the first block of the Lagos State Government-sponsored 8,000 bed hostel under construction, was handed over to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, mni, NPOM, on behalf of the body by the Chairman of the Executive Committee of LASUDEF, Hon. Justice Solomon Olusola Hunponu-Wusu, on Friday 28th July 2023
While handing over the building, Justice Hunponu-Wusu said the donation was aimed at supporting the efforts of the government in the infrastructural development of the University. “In realization that the Lagos State Government and indeed any government cannot efficiently and completely fund tertiary education, the founding members of this Non-Government Organization decided to assist the State Universities by putting up complementary infrastructure as it’s main priority and objective.
“As you are aware, LASU started as a non residential institution. Accommodation for students was and still remains a challenge. It was for this reason that LASUDEF decided to assist the university with this 96-bed units hostel”, he said.
He further revealed that the project commenced in November 2017 but due to some administrative and Covid-19 challenges, the construction dragged until much recently before its completion.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olatunji-Bello, in her response, expressed gratitude to LASUDEF for the donation and described it as a welcome development “…at a time of dire economic situation and outrageous hikes in rent and prices of other goods, making decent accommodation outside of the campus unaffordable for many of our students. The donation of this hostel, implies that, 96 of our students would be provided decent accommodation at a subsidized rate.”
She expressed her delight that the hostel building would complement the infrastructural development in the University, thereby fulfilling the third strategic goal of her administration, which is to ensure that infrastructural facilities are improved and made readily available for seamless performance of academic and administrative duties.
She assured the Body that the facility would be put to judicious use and acceded to the request to allocate 30% of the rooms to students of Lagos origin annually.
The Permanent Secretary of the newly established Lagos State Ministry of Tertiary Education, Mr. Kazeem Kasali, who was a Special Guest at the handover ceremony, expressed his optimism that the facility would support the yearnings of LASU students for conducive students hostels to enhance their learning experience.
The hostel was opened by the Vice Chancellor to the glory of God and use of students after documents of the Deed of Gift were signed by representatives of the LASU and LASUDEF. The hostel is dedicated to the memory of the first Military Governor of Lagos State and founding Chairman of LASUDEF, the late Brigadier General Mobolaji Johnson.
