SEN. IDIAT ADEBULE CALLS ON LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY TO FAST-TRACK THE PASSAGE OF LAGOS INNOVATION BILL AT 7TH LASU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FAIR

SEN. IDIAT ADEBULE CALLS ON LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY TO FAST-TRACK THE PASSAGE OF LAGOS INNOVATION BILL AT 7TH LASU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FAIR

The Chief Host, VC, LASU, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, mni, NPOM, delivering her address

The Senator representing Lagos-West, at the National Assembly, Senator (Dr) Idiat Oluranti *ADEBULE* has called on the Lagos State House of Assembly to fast-track the passage of the Lagos Innovation Bill, which she strongly believes would enhance Innovation and research activities in the State.

The former Deputy Governor, Lagos State and keynote speaker made this known at the 7th Lagos State University Research and Innovation Fair on Wednesday, 8th October 2025, at Aderemi Makanjuola Lecture Theatre, LASU Main Campus, Ojo, Lagos.

The Fair, themed "Promoting the Quadruple Helix Collaboration: Government, University, Industry and Community", lived up to expectations as a gathering of the town and gown, researchers, scholars, administrators, innovators and technocrats assembled under one roof, with the focus on societal challenges. The speakers provided thought-provoking papers with practicable solutions. 

The keynote speaker, Sen. (Dr) Idiat Adebule, delivering her paper

Dr ADEBULE opined in her recommendations, that with the bill passed, the University would benefit tremendously, as researchers, innovators, scholars would have access to funds that would assist in providing cutting edge solutions to the challenges of the society, not only Lagos, but, Nigeria as a whole.

In her recommendations, she advised captains of industry, as well as operators to make conscious effort to partner with all tertiary institutions and research laboratories by providing them with  direction and focus for research and innovation that will not only be realistic and useful, but also socially responsible and capable of solving real-world problems through the feedback from their consumers on their products and consequently feed research centres. 
Her words: "LASU must ensure that research listens to the people; solutions are bottom-up as much as they also take motivation and funding from top-down". 

The Keynote Speaker added that Lagos State has positioned itself in becoming the quadruple helix innovation powerhouse, combining a robust government platform, dynamic university research and innovation hubs, a thriving industry ecosystem, and effectively engaged communities. She ended her address by appreciating the leadership provided by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola *OLATUNJI-BELLO*, mni, NPOM, which has evolved and positioned the institution as a 21st century citadel of learning, which generations would be proud of.

On the part of the Chairman of the event, the immediate past Pro-Chancellor of the 12th Governing Council of Lagos State University, Sir David O. *SUNMONI*, KJW, FCA, he noted that the theme was more than a framework but a great clarion call, which challenges all stakeholders to put on their thinking caps and re-think how to generate, apply and share knowledge. He further advised all to build bridges between the ivory tower and the real world, between policy and practice, as well as between research and relevance. "The Quadruple Helix model recognises that innovation thrives not in isolation but in synergy. When government provides enabling policies, when universities produce  cutting-edge research, when industry drives commercialisation, and when communities articulate their needs and aspirations, then, and only then, can we achieve sustainable development", the Chairman of the 7th LASU Research and Innovation Fair posited.

Award for the keynote speaker

Sir SUNMONI ended his opening address with admiration for the Vice-Chancellor, the University Management and the  Central Planning Committee of the Research Fair.

The Chief Host, Professor OLATUNJI-BELLO, mni, NPOM, in her opening remarks, described the annual research as more than just a mere academic exercise, but as the manifestation of the University's deepest institutional commitment to moving beyond theoretical knowledge and translating the research into tangible solutions that drive development.
"Today and tomorrow, we celebrate our faculty and students. We will showcase ground-breaking work across engineering, medicine, the humanities and the sciences, projects designed to solve real-world problems facing Lagos State and Nigeria, in pursuit of our vision", the Vice-Chancellor remarked.

The Vice-Chancellor expressed that no single entity could tackle the complexities of sustainable development head-long, bearing in mind that the traditional Triple Helix Model (University-Industry-Government) had evolved. She averred that,  at the University, it is well understood that research only achieves its maximum impact when it is grounded in the needs of the community, which is the ultimate beneficiary, the source of vital data, and the final adopter of innovation. 
 "The University generates knowledge and talent. Industry commercialises the innovation and creates jobs. Government provides the enabling policy, regulation, and funding environment. The community  provides the context, demands, the solution and validates its utility", she stated.

She emphasised that the four helix model must be judiciously put into use at the Fair, as a resilient, collaborative structure, adding that the Fair must be a marketplace for ideas and for partnerships, not just a one-stop shop for presentations. 

In closing, Professor OLATUNJI-BELLO  applauded the Director/Centre Leader, Africa Centre of Excellence For Innovative and Transformative STEM Education (LASU-ACEITSE), Professor Rasheed SANNI and the leadership of the Centre for its commitment and part sponsorship of the Fair in the last two (2) years. She equally commended Distinguished Professor Babajide ELEMO for sponsoring twenty (20) postgraduate and ten (10) undergraduate students to the Fair, thanked all the speakers, and expressed confidence that they would do justice to their presentations.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chairman, Central Planning Committee, 7th LASU Research and Innovation Fair, Professor Adejuwon *ADENEYE*, made it clear that the event marked a significant milestone in the University's commitment to pioneering knowledge and impactful innovation.

Professor ADENEYE who is the Director, Directorate of Research Management and Innovation at the University, stated that the research enterprise of a modern university must transcend the confines of the ivory tower to actively engage with the challenges and opportunities of the society it serves.

The guest speaker, Professor Ibrahim Katampe, doing justice to his paper

Furthermore, he expressed confidence that, with the array of speakers lined up for the two-day event, the Fair would achieve its purpose of fostering partnerships and great collaborations. He  enjoined all participants to engage actively in scholarly discussions, leverage networking opportunities and join in championing the Quadruple Helix framework.
 "Let us leave this Fair not just with new knowledge, but with robust partnerships and concrete plans for impactful collaborations.", he ended.

The Chairman of the occasion, Mr David SUNMONI, the Keynote Speaker, Senator (Dr) Idiat Oluranti ADEBULE, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola OLATUNJI-BELLO, Professor Ibrahim KATAMPE, Professor Abiodun AIBINU, Director/Centre Leader, LASU-ACEITSE, Professor Rasheed SANNI and Distinguished Professor Babajide ELEMO, were all given awards of appreciation by the organisers of the Research Fair.

Guest speakers, the Founder and Pro-Chancellor, Cosmopolitan University, Abuja/Professor of Chemistry, the Director for Innovation and Technology Incubation, Centre of  Excellence in Emerging Technologies (CEET), Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio, U.S.A, Professor Ibrahim KATAMPE, delivered a paper "Translational Research: A Veritable Tool to Attain Sustainable Development Goals Using the Quadruple Helix Approach", while, the Vice-Chancellor, Summit University, Offa, Kwara State, Professor Abiodun Aibinu via virtual talked on "Sustaining Cybersecurity, Data Protection, and Privacy in Nigerian Universities", a cornerstone for modern academic operations.

There was a goodwill message from the Nigeria Airforce.

The Registrar, Lagos State University, Mr Emmanuel A. FANU, gave the vote of thanks to bring the opening day to an end.

Participants moved out of the lecture hall to view some of the innovations displayed outside.

We are LASU, We are Great.