UNILAG Alumni Association pledges N700million fund for alma mater | EduCeleb
Abdussalam Amoo
19th March 2018
Members of the Lagos State branch of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Alumni Association have pledged to raise a N707.2 million fund for their alma mater.
They made the pledge at the 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association which was a part of the events in the just concluded UNILAG Alumni Week. The alumni members also held their health day, sports day, Alumni Get-Together and Awards, and elections during the week.
Chairman of the Lagos State branch, Lukumon Adeoti said the funds would be raised under an initiative tagged Support Our University Projects (SOUP). The alumni members and guests later launched SOUP during the get-together/awards event held at Jelili Omotola Multipurpose Hall on the UNILAG campus.
Dr Adeoti noted that SOUP would complement earlier efforts of the alumni in providing the needed support students, staff and the university management.
Of the total funds, N468.5 million is to be earmarked for an Academic Endowment Scheme for indigent and brilliant students. Then, another N57.7 million was designated to promote academic excellence, employability and professional development and professional development. The remaining N181 million was meant to establish a skill acquisition and entrepreneurial development project for UNILAG students.
From the Academic Endowment fund which was to be managed by those who the Association called “finance experts”, each student beneficiary is to get N150,000 per session, from admission to graduation. Also, intending sponsors were promised regular reports about each beneficiary of the funding at the end of each session.
Adeoti said that intending donors could reach out to either the Chairman through the Head of the Geosciences Department in UNILAG or visit the Alumni National Secretariat at Jubilee House near Jaja Hall of Residence.
EduCeleb.com also reports that N150,000 was given to twenty students during the 2017 edition of the Babatunde Sofoluwe Memorial Lecture. The beneficiaries were recommended by the UNILAG Students’ Affairs Division office. The alumni presented the students cheques at the 5th Memorial Lecture held on 12th May, 2017.
Among other efforts of the Alumni were the part-paid purchase of the proposed 10-acre UNILAG Alumni Lagos Branch Estate at Ijoko Village in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, the buying of a special computer for a blind student in the Faculty of Arts, some financial assistance for a Russian Language student, Mr O. Taiwo and the donation of N100,000 to the International School, University of Lagos’ Annual Prize Giving Day.
In his goodwill message to the Alumni, the UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe on behalf of the university’s management commended them for their continued support for initiatives towards the progress of their alma mater.
Professor Ogundipe, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Developmental Services, Folashade Ogunsola also added that the Ogundipe-led university management was open to further collaborations.
Professor Ogunsola informed the audience that the VC was unavoidable absent as he was on an image-making tour for the university abroad. She added that the university is already consolidating on its capacity by initiating and strengthening collaborations with various institutions and bodies.
EduCeleb.com recalls that since Professor Ogundipe assumed office on 12th November 2017, his leadership had continued to engage various stakeholders towards boosting the image of the university. Among such are the Nigerian Air Force, the German and the Finnish foreign mission in Nigeria.
Ogunsola also promised of the continued support of the management for the activities of the alumni.
Earlier, the state election of the Alumni Association saw Dr Adeoti re-emerging as the Lagos State Branch Chairman.
Other winners in the election were Mr Adeleke Olusegun as Vice President, Alh Ganiy Alimson as General Secretary, Mr Olawale Olayinka Oyinlola as Assistant General Secretary, and Miss Florence Okeke as Publicity Secretary.
The rest are Mr Ayinde Kayode Lanre as the Social Secretary, Mr Albert Taofeek Ifedolapo as the Financial Secretary, Mr Ebun Oluranti as the Treasurer and Ms. Edogba Christina Eni as the Welfare Secretary. The positions of Internal Auditor and Legal Adviser remain vacant.
Announcing the results of the election held at the Julius Berger Auditorium in UNILAG, the electoral committee stated that only three of the positions were contested while other winners emerged unopposed.
Chairman of the electoral committee, Fatai Ademola Badru said that the winners for positions of State Chairman, Assistant General Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer and Social Secretary were unopposed.
In his announcement of results for the contested positions, Professor Badru stated that 178 accredited voters partook in the election.
Of the votes cast for the Publicity Secretary office, Miss Okeke won by 134 votes to beat Miss Temitope Ajibade who had 39 votes. 9 votes in the category were declared void.
From the 176 votes cast for the post of General Secretary, 158 were valid while 8 others were invalid. Alh Alimson had 133 votes while his opponent Dr Ogbonnaya Abandi had 31 votes.
The position of Vice Chairman had a total of 178 votes cast. 173 of them were valid and 5 were void. Mr Adeleke won by 132 votes against Mazi Sam Uche Anyamele who had 41 votes.
The tenure of the newly elected executive members is expected to last till 2020.