Infrastructural Devt will Promote Excellence in Research, Says Don

The Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Mike Adebamowo has stated that consistent infrastructural development and partnership are part of the measures adopted by the institution to promote the culture of excellence, especially in the area of research.

Adebamowo of the Department of Architecture said this in an interview in Lagos, in line with the on-going two key projects at the university: the re-designing of the main gate at Akoka and the vertical extension of the Faculty of Law.

He said the university is also intensifying efforts to attract more partnerships, funding, scholarship and support, especially in research so as to give it the necessary visibility it deserves.

“Right now, the work going on at the university gate is the construction of a canopy over the existing gate, as well as the construction of some lay-bys along the road.

“The entire intention of the project which, incidentally I happen to be the architect is to minimise the level of public activities around the university gate.

“If you are coming into the campus, you will agree with me that there are lots of activities other than the congruent activities to an institution of this class. UNILAG is a brand but we believe that those commercial activities like the tricycles, bikes and others, passenger drop offs and the rest of that, especially in the evening, around the gate do not befit our institution as we are to promote excellence.

“So first, there is an urgent need to redesign the frontal approach of the institution in order to eliminate the current chaos that is on-going there.”

According to him, this is being done by applying some simple design measures that will take the lay-bys away from the junction around the entrance of the university, adding that the design would create an escape route from the campus to Akoka without necessarily getting to the intersection.

“We have already re-designed the whole of the place and widened the pedestrian walk ways that feed into the campus. While doing that, we have eliminated all those bus stops that we have around the campus and we have moved them slightly away.

“The new extended walk ways that have been widened will now be guided by decorative fence grills. That will prevent anyone from accessing the road other than from the inlet point where you can come in from the bus stops,” the dean said.

He stated that having solved these problems, the university would also have a striking canopy over the existing gate to give it an imposing character.

He explained that the institution was favoured to have this as a Lagos project funded by the state government, adding that the design of the project started during the tenure of the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rahaman Bello and is now being executed under the leadership of Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.

“It is a project that the immediate past Governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode donated to the university and the current administration has keyed into it to ensure its completion.

“I believe that with this kind of gesture coming from the Lagos State government, coupled with the current administration’s outlook and vision of the incumbent VC, the university has been able to continually attract funding, scholarship, support and partnership.

These are both in the areas of research which is our major preoccupation and also infrastructural and physical development.” Adebamowo added that the vertical extension project of the Faculty of Law, sponsored by Mr. Femi Okunu, would further complement the university’s quest for academic excellence and global recognition.

“Currently, we are adding another floor on the existing building of the Faculty of Law, which will accommodate more offices because right now, the faculty is in dire need of office spaces. It will also be accommodating more classrooms and space for a moot court.

“As the architect handling the project, we intend to also give it an imposing character that will enhance the quality of the building and the environment.”

He assured the university community and the public that the two projects would be delivered before the end of the year.