The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB) in its mandate to preserve the state’s history and heritage.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the LASRAB management team, led by its Director-General, Amodu Razak, to the ministry.
Omotoso described the bureau’s vision as strategic and vital to Lagos State’s development, stressing the importance of institutional memory in governance.
“If you forget the past, you cannot see into the future,” he said, urging LASRAB to intensify its digitisation drive to safeguard official records and prevent the loss of critical historical and administrative data.
He also called for stronger collaboration with public and private institutions, as well as individuals, to ensure comprehensive preservation of government documents and historical materials across the state.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Bajulaiye Olanrewaju, commended the Director-General for sustaining and improving the bureau’s standards, describing LASRAB as a key arm of the ministry. He underscored the importance of records in shaping identity.
“If you have lost your language, your culture, you have lost your identity,” he said.
Earlier, Razak noted that the visit was aimed at updating the ministry on the bureau’s programmes, initiatives and milestones since he assumed office.
