R.C.C.G. GENERAL OVERSEER IS CYNOSURE OF ALL EYES, AT LASU CONVENTION.  By Abiodun Fanoro , The Guardian

Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (left), General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Chairman of the Governing Council of the Lagos State University (LASU), Akin Kekere-Ekun and the Chancellor, Chief Omolade Okoya-Thomas during LASU's 14th convocation and award ceremonies at the Ojo Campus, Lagos... yesterday. PHOTO: OSENI YUSUF

LAGOS State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extolled the virtues of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and four other distinguished Nigerians awarded honorary doctorates by the State University (LASU) at its 14th convocation.

Other distinguished Nigerians honoured at the convocation, held yesterday at the institution's main campus, Ojo, included former leader of the Anglican Communion in Nigeria, Archbishop Abiodun Adetiloye, awarded honorary doctor of literature, former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Musliu Smith, awarded honorary doctor of science, Vice-President of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Adisa Babatola Fashinro who was awarded honorary doctor of law.

The awardees also included Mrs. Tope Olakunrin, Chairman, Education Trust Fund (ETF).

Tinubu also named some facilities at the institution, after some awardees. The Senate Building was named after Adeboye, the Social Science Library was named after Smith while the LASU's main library was named after Archbishop Adetiloye.

Tinubu singled out Adeboye for commendation, for his humility, dedication to the service of God, transparent lifestyle and being the true and exemplary shepherd committed to the well-being of his flock. Tinubu said the R.C.C.G General Overseer deserved the honour in addition to the above for being able to separate himself from some materialistic ministers of God.

He described him as a true role model in the making of the total man. To Adetiloye, the governor expressed happiness at the fact that the clergyman at 78 years remained fulfilled, having contributed immensely to both the spiritual and social growth of the country.

The governor recalled with nostalgia, Adetiloye's indelible contribution to the struggle to free Nigeria from military dictatorship.

Tinubu also singled him out as one of the few top ministers of God who from the pulpit were strong and dependable allies of pro-democracy crusaders. The governor considered Alhaji Fashinro's honour as being most significant, noting that at 88 years, the state did not forget him and his good works and therefore decided to honour him.

To the admiration and relief of staff, students and parents the occasion, the governor affirmed the decision of the state government to protect external students of the university who are currently going through trauma due to the misunderstanding between LASU and the National University Commission (NUC) over the accreditation of external programmes.

NUC recently announced banning of external programmes because they did not pass accreditation test. LASU has however gone to court to stop NUC's action.

Tinubu who pledged that the state government would ensure that the institute fulfil all standard conditions for accreditation of all its programmes however said that there was nothing unethical in an institution running satellite campuses or external programmes, if that would help to ensure that qualitative education reached all the various segment of the society.

According to him, external programmes and satellite campuses are better than the open university programme of the Federal Government.

The governor announced some measures to promote teaching and learning in the university.

Top among these were the approval of increment in the salary of staff of the university, allocation of some blocks of classrooms worth over N900 million to LASU staff, dualisation of the LASU - Iba- Igando road at the cost of over N5 billion and increase in the subvention to the university.