Let's stand out when others are sitting and stand outstanding when others are standing"--Prof Mohammed

The Director, Centre for General Nigeria Studies (CGNS), Prof. M. O. B. Mohammed had charged members of staff of the Centre to stand out when others are sitting, and to stand outstanding when others are standing, in order to keep them abreast of their job, and at the same time be more effective in the discharge of their duties.

He made this known at the first in-house training/workshop of the Centre in Y2024 with the theme *"Work Ethics, Report/Minutes Writing for Effective Office Management"*. The in-house training/workshop which had in attendance all members of staff of the Centre was held on Friday, 23rd February 2024, at the CGNS conference room, Admin. Block 2, main campus, Ojo, Lagos.

The first lecture was delivered by the Deputy Registrar, Senate Affairs Division, Mr. Abdul Ahmeed Lawal, who spoke on *"Report Writing and Minutes Taking for Effective Office Management"*. He admonished the participants at the in-house training to ensure correct and accurate reportage of meetings and events while paying more attention to the names and designations of members and those in attendance. He advised on the following; simple use of language, adopt active voice in your expression, structure your minutes logically, let the information flow and sequential, read your first draft, vet and edit while working on your minutes or writing your report.

He advised them further to always give their colleagues the draft of the minutes to read and edit (using their third eye), avoid any form of ambiguity, and ensure they itemised deliberations as we as observations where necessary. These, he said, will, at all times, save their work from being clumsy and ambiguous.

The second lecture was presented by the Deputy Registrar, Admin./Tech., Mr. Olalekan Awujoola, who was represented by the PAR/Administrative Secretary CGNS Mr Ademola Adekoya with theme *"Work Ethics/Ethical Conducts for Effective Office Management"*. He said that ethics simply deal with what is good, acceptable, or bad, not acceptable. He averred that in any organisation, there must be rules and regulations guiding the  individual and collective group activities as employees of organisation and if we have a community of people carrying out their businesses and all other activities without any any regulations it will lead to a state of chaos and anarchy, that is why it is very important to have in place, set of rules and regulations by which we all must abide by and as employees, it allows our conducts to align with these set rules.

He emphasised further on the need for staff to avoid negative work ethics or unethical work attitudes which he listed some of them as; abandonment of duty, absenteeism, inefficiency, fraud and fraudulent practices, dishonesty, truancy, indiscipline, lateness to work, insubordination etc which are also captured in the Conditions of Service for the staff of the University as misconduct or serious misconduct and they attract sanctions, the ultimate being dismissal.

He concluded by letting the participants know that ethical office management is very crucial in every organisation for the maintenance of integrity and trust. He said thererefore, organisations must learn to prioritise ethical practices to promote a conducive working environment for all members of staff.

To add glamour and colour to the training/workshop, the Director presented a certificate of participation to all members of staff of the Centre who took part in the training/workshop.

The Director, CGNS, Prof. M. O. B. while giving his closing remarks, thanked Almighty God for making the in-house training/workshop a success and thanked members of staff of the centre for their compliance and cooperation ever since he assumed office as the Director. The PAR/Administrative Secretary of the Centre Mr. Ademola Adekoya gave the vote of thanks.