The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has commissioned a ₦20 million combined volleyball and basketball court donated by the Omotayo Adegboye Foundation to the Awolowo Hall of Residence.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony on Thursday, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Simeon Bamire, called on Nigerians to imbibe the culture of maintaining public infrastructure to prevent avoidable waste of resources.
Prof. Bamire commended the donor, Mr. Omotayo Adegboye, a United Kingdom-based lawyer and alumnus of the university, for giving back to his alma mater.
He urged students who would use the facility to ensure its proper maintenance to prolong its lifespan and encourage more donations from other alumni.
“Maintenance is key. In most cases, it seems we lack that culture, but we must encourage students and staff to imbibe it for the sustainability of what we have,” Bamire said.
He added that students and staff were already showing excitement over the new facility, expressing confidence that both groups would make good use of it.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that Adegboye’s contribution was not only beneficial to students but would also serve as relief for their parents, lecturers, and the entire university community.
In his remarks, Adegboye explained that the project initially had a lower cost estimate but was later expanded to ensure high-quality execution.
According to him, “Initially we thought well according to the plan one of the students who happens to be an Architecture student, we thought the project was going to cost us about N6million, but eventually it went beyond that. We spent close to N20million to make sure that the project is put in place the way it is today,”
Adegboye stated that his decision to embark on the project was influenced by his late father’s lessons on generosity.
““I remember when my father was alive, he used to tell us that we should imbibe the heart of giving. You don’t have to be a rich man, whatever little that you have, you must be ready to share and that is just the beginning” he noted.
He added that his connection to OAU made the institution his first choice for the initiative, having graduated from the Faculty of Administration, Department of Accounting, where he also served as the departmental president.
Adegboye said he always thought of how to contribute to the university whenever he visited, either to see his lecturers or fellow alumni.
