By Promise Toyon
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has commissioned a library at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, which is said to be the biggest library in any university in West Africa and named after him.
Speaking at the ceremony on 21st October, 2025 , Sanwo-Olu said that the commissioning of the building is also a celebration of the idea that learning transforms destinies, and that libraries, though made of stone and steel, are truly built with dreams and determination.
He emphasised that over the years, Lagos State University has grown into a citadel of excellence and a beacon of progress, ranking among the finest institutions in Nigeria and Africa. He stated that the success is not accidental but it is the product of visionary leadership, dedicated faculty and students whose brilliance continues to make the nation proud.
The governor said to have the library bear his name is an honour he receives with humility and gratitude. He clarified that the library is not a monument to self but it is a symbol of service.
He affirmed that the library is a space for discovery, dialogue, and dreaming. A place where the next Nobel Laureate, the next great author, the next visionary leader may begin their journey.
“This moment is deeply personal, not because this edifice bears my name, but because it represents the very ideals that have shaped my journey , the belief that education is the bridge between potential and purpose, and that knowledge is the most enduring legacy any generation can bequeath to the next.
“As the great Nelson Mandela once said, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ Indeed, this complex with its digital research facilities, reading lounges, innovation labs, and archives, is a tangible expression of that truth.
“Under our THEMES+ Agenda, we have continued to make Education and Technology the twin engines of development , from the ongoing school infrastructure upgrades to the EkoDigital initiative, the LASU Technology Hub, and now this Library Complex, which serves as a digital gateway to global knowledge and innovation.
“We are deliberately nurturing a generation of thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers , young Lagosians who will lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution from the heart of Africa’s most dynamic city.
“For me, leadership is not about leaving one’s name on walls, but about leaving impact on people’s lives. When I look upon this structure, I see not brick and glass, but hope and potential , the spark of curiosity in a young student’s eyes, the quiet dedication of a lecturer burning the midnight oil, and the dreams of parents who labour to give their children a better tomorrow.
“This is not the library of old. This is a library for the future where printed words meet digital possibilities, where heritage meets innovation, and where silence becomes the loudest sound of progress.
“Permit me to close with the words of Chinua Achebe, who reminded us that ‘One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.’ So must it be with our pursuit of education , unwavering, incorruptible, and uncompromising.
“Let this library inspire generations to come to think deeply, act boldly, and serve selflessly. Let it remind us that while buildings may age, knowledge endures.” he said.
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