Ogunsola Charges Academics to be Solution Providers

By Esther Joshua

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Folasade Ogunsola, has called on academics to approach national challenges with a research mindset and a commitment to national progress.

She made the call on Thursday, September 17, 2026, during the commissioning of the new Student Experience Hub and remodelled Boardroom at the School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS).

The VC emphasized the need for scholarship to translate into solutions that respond to real societal needs.

“We can’t afford to be academically lazy or make excuses not to do what we signed up to do,” she said.

“We must be solution providers, and our solutions must be contemporaneous and contextual.”

Ogunsola urged the newly inaugurated SPGS Board for the 2026/2027 Academic Session and the wider academic community to look inward, challenge existing assumptions and explore Nigeria’s natural and intellectual resources for national development.

She cited the growing global acceptance of African cuisine, fashion and arts as examples of the value that can emerge when local creativity and resources are effectively developed and presented to the world.

She also addressed the place of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in research and academic work, cautioning against over-reliance on the technology while advocating its ethical and purposeful use.

Ogunsola congratulated the Dean of SPGS, Prof. Abraham Osinubi and his team for the innovations being introduced into the School, noting that the improvements extended beyond its academic programmes to include infrastructural upgrades.

“You have come to a place of responsibility, and our quality and standards are dependent on the quality of our SPGS,” she said.

Osinubi noted that the newly commissioned Student Experience Hub was designed to inspire, motivate and promote excellence in research and innovation.

He added that the new facility comprises a reception area, two syndicate rooms, a Doctoral Academy section and a Staff Lounge to provide a more supportive and functional environment for postgraduate students and staff.

According to Osinubi, with a current student population of over 25,000 and more than 15,000 applications for the 2026/2027 Academic Session, the School of Postgraduate Studies is progressing towards becoming a full-fledged institute.

He described the ceremony as a demonstration of the School’s commitment to creating the best possible experience for its staff, students, alumni and stakeholders.