The 12th Governing Council of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), has urged indigenes of Lagos State to take advantage of the 70% admission slots allocated to them in the institution
Chairman of the newly constituted Council, Prof. Rasheed Kola Ojikutu, made the appeal during the marathon visitations by members of the Council and the institution’s management team to palaces of traditional rulers across Ikorodu division recently.
He particularly appealed to the traditional rulers to assist in ensuring that indigenes in their respective domains are encouraged to leverage on the slots allocated to them in seeking admission in the Polytechnic.
Members of the institution’s Governing Council had embarked on the courtesy visits to pay homage to the monarch to seek their blessings and supports before they settle down to commence full operations in order to have a smooth tenure.
“I must let you know that 70% of the admission slots into the institution is for the indigenes. I always remember the statement of Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson when we used to follow him. He always said that owners of a particular entity must be allowed to benefit more”, Prof. Ojikutu revealed.
“Despite the fact that 70% admission slots have been reserved for the indigene students, these slots are not been maximized at all and it poses a great challenge. Lagosians don’t read and we need to change this narrative”, he said.
He pleaded with the royal fathers and other stakeholders to assist the institution in changing the narrative by encouraging indigenes to enroll more in the institution.
“We want to change this narrative and improve the enrollment of our young ones in higher institutions. This is where we need the interventions of our traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the community to help us encourage our young ones to go to school and take advantage of the 70% admission slots reserved for them in Lagos State Polytechnic”, Prof. Ojikutu pleaded.
“We are appealing that anyone with a child who is interested in going to school with required results, should bring them to us for admission. Our job is to admit indigene students first, even if they do not meet up with all the requirements”.
He also urged the people of Ikorodu division to take advantage of the presence of the Polytechnic in lkorodu to develop itself.
“I also want to let you know that the community must take advantage of the existence of the Polytechnic because any community that has the presence of a higher institution must develop. If such fails to develop, then, such community needs divine intervention”, he said.
“It pleases God that Lagos State Polytechnic should be cited in Ikorodu, don’t forget that it was meant to be at Isolo which was the dream of the founding fathers, but it has been destined to be here.
“The institution has been innovating and producing many things but these have been only for the Polytechnic community and not extended to the larger Ikorodu community as we have discovered. This Governing Council is determined to change that.
“This Polytechnic is making bread, packed water, sanitiser and many other things but they are not known to the larger Ikorodu community. These products should be extended to our host community because they can create employment opportunities for the people which is part of the institution’s objectives.
“This Governing Council is ready to assist the management of the institution to achieve this and make members of the community to benefit from what the polytechnic is producing”, he assured.
“In addition to our visit is to also inform our royal father that the state government has resolved and told us that the next Rector of the Polytechnic must be an indigene of the state.
Meanwhile, the monarchs in their respective responses, thanked Prof. Ojikutu for informing them about the 70% admission slots allocated to the indigenes of the state and assured that they will ensure that their people benefit from it.
While briefly responding on behalf of the Oba Kabir Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Sir (Chief) Ayodele Elesho, the Agbaakin of Ikorodu, described the 70% admission slots reserved for the indigene students by LASPOTECH as a gratifying gesture.
While assuring that they will not refer students who do not merit admission to the institution, he said that indigene students in lkorodu would be encouraged to seek admission into the Polytechnic and urged both the Governing Council and management of the institution to ensure that such students benefit from the said reserved admission slots.
In his own response, Oba Kasali assured the council that they will notice improvement in the area of enrolment of indigene students in the institution.
“On the issue of indigent students not taking advantage of the 70% admission slots reserved for them, I can assure that you will soon start noticing changes. I will mobilise our chiefs and Baales to act in this regard.
“We thank you for bringing this to our notice and we shall work on it.” Oba Kasali assured the Governing Council.
On the institution’s innovations and production of items, Oba Kasali said that, “It is also heartwarming to hear that the institution has also been achieving a giant stride in the entrepreneurial aspect by innovating and producing some items. But that is not enough, as the Chairman of the Governing Council has promised, I want to see a situation whereby whatever research or produce that has been done in the Polytechnic is positively impacting on the residents of Ikorodu division”.
He also pleaded that the government should consider somebody from Ikorodu as the next Rector of the Polytechnic.
Oba Ajibade Agoro, the Ranodu of Imota, in his own remarks, said:
“Thank you for informing me about the law that reserves 70% admission slots for indigene students. It is new to me and now that I have the information, be rest assured that you will get enough of our students for admission.
“I will work on the assignment that you have given me beyond your expectations”, Oba Agoro assured.