Governor
Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, announced the indefinite
suspension of the conferment of honorary award on any person by authorities of
Lagos State University, LASU, saying the award had been desecrated in recent
times.
Fashola said he had ordered LASU Governing
Council to suspend the conferment of honorary award as part of measure towards
improving the standard of the institution and restoring the value of honorary
award by ensuring that only deserving persons were bestowed same.
The governor, who announced this at the
17th convocation of the institution, said the award had been abused as many now
wait for the award before contributing to the development of the society.
Fashola, who did not hide his disdain over
indiscriminate award of honours on undeserving people, noted that previous
honorary degrees conferred by institutions across the country from different
disciplines had not reflected in adding values to the society.
He added that in the country today, Nigerians
now desire to receive title and honour before impacting on the society.
He said: “What is the basis for honour? Do
we have electricity, can we refine our own petroleum products?”
He added that if the country had not been
able to achieve all these, why were the institutions in the country honouring
people with degrees.
“And, because we are determined to keep the
honours of this great institution, we had decided to raise the bar. Our
university (LASU) ceased to lead this society to a higher degree of excellence
by challenging our people to do more for the improvement of the country,” he
added.