The Badagry corridor, particularly #Ijanikin and #Topo, is gaining renewed prominence on Lagos’ education and healthcare map as #Eko University of Medicine and Health Sciences (EkoUNIMED) prepares for its maiden convocation scheduled for January 29.

At a pre-convocation briefing held at the university’s Ijanikin campus, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Gbadebo Awosanya, announced that former Lagos State Governor, Raji Fashola, will be among three distinguished Nigerians to be inducted as Fellows of the university.

According to the Vice Chancellor, Fashola’s recognition is tied to his foundational role in supporting the establishment of EkoUNIMED during his time as governor, a contribution that laid the groundwork for private medical education expansion along the Badagry axis.

Before the conferment, Fashola is expected to deliver the convocation lecture, titled “Medical Education: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Building the Pillars of a Healthier Future.”

Two other personalities slated for fellowship honours are Mr Bolaji Robert, Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, and Mr Akinbode Agbaoye, a retired director of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

Awosanya noted that Agbaoye played a critical advisory role during the university’s accreditation process, serving as a key liaison when approval was being sought from the NUC.

The convocation will also mark a milestone for the institution, with 27 pioneer students graduating with Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degrees, reinforcing the growing academic footprint of Ijanikin within the Badagry division.

Beyond the ceremony, the Vice Chancellor outlined expansion plans directly linked to Badagry, revealing that the university has land in Topo, where it hopes to extend its campus footprint in response to space constraints at its existing Ijanikin and Igando locations.

“We have a land at Topo, Badagry, and we are hopeful that it will support our long-term expansion plans,” Awosanya said, highlighting Badagry’s strategic importance to the institution’s future growth.

He added that EkoUNIMED is seeking regulatory approvals to introduce Nursing, followed by Radiography, Medical Laboratory Science, and Dentistry, positioning the Badagry corridor as a potential multi-disciplinary medical education cluster.

A central ambition, he explained, is the development of a dedicated teaching hospital, which would reduce dependence on external facilities and strengthen hands-on clinical training for students.

“Our goal is to build our own tertiary hospital and deepen our contribution to healthcare delivery,” Awosanya stated, noting that the university was founded with a mission to make medical education more affordable for Lagos residents, particularly those outside the city’s core.

On accreditation, he confirmed that the university currently holds full accreditation from both the NUC and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, covering its academic and professional programmes.

The Vice Chancellor also spoke on curriculum philosophy, stressing the importance of integrating research into traditional and herbal medicine, an area of growing relevance in communities across Badagry and its hinterlands.

The event was attended by senior management staff, including the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Sobande Adekunle, Registrar Abdul-Lateef Animashaun, Bursar Olanipekun Olanrewaju, and University Librarian Dr Okanlawon Adediji. Activities concluded with a novelty football match between academic and non-academic staff, reflecting the institution’s growing campus culture.