Tuesday, 16th of April, 2019 was a day to remember in the Alumni homecoming policy of the current administration when the Financial Secretary of the UK Chapter of the OOU Alumni Association, Mr. Lateef Adesona paid a fact-finding visit to the University. The visit which was meant to be a follow-up to the first tranche of financial gesture extended to the University at the Alumni Gala night held recently in London, witnessed an atmosphere, full of exchange of gratitude from both sides of the table and later turned out to become an attestation to the sincerity of the University authorities in the management of the resources for the development of the University.
Receiving the UK Executive member on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ganiyu Olatunde, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Deji Agboola welcomed the distinguished ex-student and thanked him and other members of the UK alumni Chapter for promoting excellence through their tremendous contributions to the University. Apart from reassuring them that the fund so donated would be well utilised especially in the acquisition of equipment described as the ‘live wire’ of the Anatomy Department, with the attendant implication for its accreditation status in the University. The Professor of Oncology also mentioned that the endowment fund for the best graduating student in the University would promote excellence among the students.
While also expressing her profound gratitude to the OOU Alumni in United Kingdom for the honour bestowed on the past Principal Officers of the University and the warm reception accorded to some members of the current management team including herself who were present at the Gala Night of the Association, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Prof. (Mrs.) Ebun Oduwole did not mince words in describing them as a group of respectable individuals committed to the advancement of their alma mater. She, thereafter, joined the Vice-Chancellor in welcoming Mr. Adesona back home while also thanking the alumni for deeming it fit to donate to the University a huge sum of money for endowment purpose as well as for the acquisition of some equipment which included an ECG Machine, and Microtome for the Directorate of Health Services and the Department of Anatomy respectively.
In his response, the former Accounting student of the then Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University) between 1985/86 and 1989/90 sessions, Mr. Lateef Adesona was full of excitement for the level of development in the University, especially in terms of physical infrastructure and broad academic programmes being offered in the University. He specifically thanked the management of the University for maintaining the enviable academic culture and promoting the University ideals the institution was known for, comparable to the first generation Universities in the country. Speaking further, Mr. Adesona expressed his gratitude to the successive University authorities for working towards achieving the vision of the founding fathers of the University, which according to him would not only receive a boost but must be complemented by the unflinching supports in terms of financial and material gestures both at home and abroad through Associations.
Even though Mr. Adesona was stunned by the spate of developmental projects at the Main Campus of the institution when he was taken through a tour of the University facilities for the on-the-spot assessment of the developmental efforts of the successive management of the institution. He was appreciative of all and implored the current administration not to rest on its oars. While at the University Radio Station, Mr. Adesona seized the opportunity to implore all alumni to keep identifying with University’s journey towards a world class status, while promising to continue to reach-out to his colleagues in the diaspora for their widow’s mite for the development of their alma mater.
Meanwhile, the University Registrar, Mr. Femi Ogunwomoju, who also appreciated his colleagues in the Alumni Association advised them to keep expanding the frontiers of the Association by accommodating the younger graduates of the institution whom he said were highly placed locally and internationally to the advantage of the Association and by extension their alma mater. Just like Oliver Twist, the Alumni Association should continue to see their Alma Mater as a growing one that required the attention of all stakeholders financially and morally, he added.
In company of Mr. Adesona to the University was the Ijebu-Ode Branch Chairman of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Alumni Association, Dr. Olagunju Balogun.
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