The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has advised Nigerian Universities to engage in aggressive marketing to address their needs rather than blame the government for their inadequacies.
He gave the charge at the official opening of the Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation Auditorium, which was donated to the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Public Health, University of Ibadan.
Professor Osinbajo noted that successful universities worldwide engage in aggressive fundraising, adding that private funding is vital to universities.
According to the Vice President, the Nigerian government’s annual Budget is inadequate to meet our national developmental needs.
Osinbajo commended the UI Department of Nutrition and Dietetics for its earlier role in the Nigerian food chain and urged the department to engage more in research that is in synergy with the needs of relevant government agencies.
He stated that Nigeria is abundantly blessed with the potential to produce food to feed the whole of Africa if our efforts are coordinated.
At the event, the Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde, was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Olubanwo Adeosun.
She appreciated the KAAF for the donation on behalf of the people of Oyo State.
She noted that Sir Kesington Adebutu is a philanthropic Nigerian who generously donates regardless of the beneficiaries’ political or religious affiliations.
She urged the University to maintain the auditorium properly.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Professor Ezekiel Olusola Ayoola.
Professor Ayoola thanked the donor organisation and assured that the auditorium would be put to good use and be well maintained.
He noted that the project was particularly significant and praiseworthy at a time like this when Federal Universities required all the support they could get from all quarters.
Professor Olayinka Omigbodun, the provost of the College of Medicine, urged the government to relax policies such as TSA, which are strangulating university research efforts.
She also urged the government to transform the universities to discourage brain drain.
The donor’s message, Sir Dr Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu was delivered by Aare Kola Oyefeso.
According to him, KAAF is a veritable blessing from the Supreme Lord established when Sir Adebutu turned 70 in 2005.
It is a special purpose vehicle to give back to society, especially in education, health service delivery, employment generation, and religious institutions, and putting smiles on the faces of the needy, among other altruistic services to humanity, irrespective of tribal and political affiliations.
The KAAF Auditorium was built at a total cost of 315 million naira. It is a 2,250-seater auditorium that is fully air-conditioned and has multimedia facilities. The auditorium also has a 150KVA generator with a backup 10KV Inverter attached to solar panels and a 15KVA lithium battery.
The Acting Head of the Department, Dr Oluyemisi Folasire assured that the auditorium would be used as a dedicated space to deliver lectures, presentations, discourses and performances to large audiences, facilitating effective communication, knowledge sharing, and community engagement.
