Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, vice chancellor of the University of Lagos, expresses hope that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)’s lengthy nationwide indefinite strike will soon come to an end.
In an interview with newsmen, on the eve of the opening of a multi-million naira laboratory that Mr. Oyetayo Ige, a university graduate, had renovated and presented to the Faculty of Engineering, Ogundipe dropped the clue.
On Tuesday night, the ceremony was held on the university campus in Akoka, Lagos.
InsightnaijaTV union members began an indefinite strike on February 16 as a result of the government’s failure to adequately address all of the issues presented in the 2020 Memorandum of Action (MoA), which the parties had agreed upon.
The strike began with its members not showing up to work on February 14 and continued for another two months until becoming the ongoing indefinite industrial action. It was called after the union had issued many verbal warnings.
“I want to say that things may soon pick up in the system. We are already aware of the various interventions by some concerned stakeholders in the country, in ensuring that things are normalised in the system so that our children can come back to school.
“So, with the latest development and the kind of green light coming from the government’s angle, there are strong indications that the strike may soon be over; very soon, and I want to assure you that we are very hopeful,” Ogundipe said.
The vice chancellor expressed his joy with the laboratory’s contribution by a former student of the school, calling the move inspiring and the right course of action.
“Today, we are unveiling the New Frederick Adegboyega Ige Laboratory Complex, a multi-million naira facility donated by an alumnus of this university, who graduated from the Faculty of Engineering.
“The laboratory is for the Department of Electrical and Electronics.
“You know, what he has just done is in line with our ‘3P3’ initiative, which is Pick a Project, Pick a Person and Pick a Programme.
“So, he has been able to commit millions of naira to improve the state of this laboratory in a bid to give back to his alma mater and by extension, impact teaching and learning.
“We have three different sections in this laboratory; they comprise the software, the electrical and the hardware sections, and with this, our engineering students will surely be unstoppable,” Ogundipe added.
In order to progress civilization and benefit humanity, he praised Ige, the donor, and asked others to act similarly, however they saw fit.
He claims that although important societal players have responded to the 3P3 project launched by the university’s current administration, it can be improved.
“We want to appeal to more corporate organisations, public-spirited individuals and the alumni of the university to partner with the university in supporting the initiative, in a bid to enhance academic excellence among the students and ultimately, nation building.
Mr. Ige, the lab’s donor, claimed that he was passionate about the achievement of the younger generation and felt compelled to support his alma university as a result.
Ige, who serves as the managing director of Proyecto Technologies Ltd., stated that leaving people with lasting memories rather than just material possessions was the best legacy one could leave them.
An indigenous business service provider called Proyecto Technologies creates, develops, and implements affordable infrastructure solutions for various industries.
“Part of why I undertook this project was also in honour of my late dad. He was an educationist, a lover of mankind, who was not a man of plenty needs but was always willing to give selflessly.
“Unfortunately he passed on in his prime and since then, his memories linger on. I have always wanted to do something in memory of him and I thought there was no better place to do that than to come to my alma mater here in UNILAG.
“We cannot keep on complaining about issues forever and not play our own role in our little corners, whether as individuals or collectively as a group.
“We all have a part to play in moving this nation forward. What I have done, is my own part as an alumnus of this institution. If anyone does the same, things will surely look up for us, so my advice here is for everyone to stand up and be counted.
“We must play our part and not expect the government to do everything for us. This may not be realistic. We need to put our money where our mouth is if we are to build a society that we all desire,” Ige said.
He pledged that in addition to donating the lab, he would also oversee its management and see to it that it serves its intended function.
Former department lecturer Prof. Oluwole Adegbenro praised Ige for the donation, calling it uplifting and appropriate.
Adegbenro, who is now retired, told InsightnaijaTV that while certain university faculties have received donations of this nature, more were needed.
“We are indeed happy that he took this huge step, so as to encourage the younger generation. He is an alumnus of the department specifically, our former student. We taught him here and he graduated in 2008.
“This laboratory was built in 1962/63 by UNESCO. So, it is now left for us Nigerians to put it in a modern shape, as it is in top universities in other climes.
“Before now, most of the equipment in this laboratory had outlived their usefulness, but with this new state-of-the-art laboratory with modern equipment, our students are sure ready to fly,” he said.
