The Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya, has urged newly admitted students of the institution to be future-ready and take deliberate steps towards shaping the kind of future they desire.
Odusanya gave the charge at the matriculation ceremony for first-year and direct entry students, describing the event as the formal beginning of their undergraduate training and a defining moment in their academic journey.
He encouraged the students to confront the uncertainties of the future with creativity and boldness, noting that meaningful progress is driven by individuals who dare to imagine and build what does not yet exist.
“The way to take uncertainty out of the future is to create the future you genuinely want. I urge you to be future-ready undergraduates who think, innovate and create in this digital age,” he said.
Drawing inspiration from history, the vice-chancellor cited the moonshot ambition of former United States President, John F. Kennedy, as an example of visionary leadership and purposeful thinking.
Odusanya noted that the digital age offers Nigerian students unprecedented access to tools for innovation and problem-solving, urging them to take advantage of such opportunities.
He, however, warned the new students against behaviours that could derail their academic pursuits, including cultism, indecent dressing, absenteeism, drug abuse and negative peer influence.
The vice-chancellor advised the students to take their studies seriously by attending lectures regularly, participating actively in practical sessions, maintaining discipline and staying connected with their parents while ensuring they remain traceable at all times.
He also stressed the importance of acquiring relevant skills, competencies and innovative thinking that would make them market-ready and nationally relevant upon graduation.
“A degree may just be a piece of paper, but the skills, competencies and knowledge you add to it will determine its value,” he said.
Odusanya further encouraged the students to look beyond the classroom and begin to develop solutions to national and global challenges, particularly in areas such as technology, engineering and medical research.
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