LAUTECH: Alumni inaugurates initiative to reposition the Institution

Some stakeholders in the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, have lauded the `FundLAUTECH’ initiative, urging wealthy Nigerians and others to emulate such.

Those who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, on Friday, said that such initiative would help reposition education in the country as government alone could not fund the sector.

NAN recalls that the initiative was launched on June 12, by five alumni of the institution led by Mr Bayo Adeyinka.

Other members of the team are Mr Ropo Egbeleke, Mr Sola Kolawole, Mr Olatunde Ajayi-Ope and Mr Saheed Adetunmbi.

The team recently handed over N9.4 million to the institution as proceeds from the “crowd funding initiative’’.

The proceed of the crowd funding initiative, including the bank statement and website were received by Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, the Chairman, LAUTECH Governing Council and Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin, the Vice-Chancellor.

Adeyinka, the Chief initiator stated that the effort was to raise a billion naira to offset three months salary arrears of the institution’s striking workers.

Mr Samsom Owoyokun, the Public Relations Officer, LAUTECH Alumni Association, commended the initiators for the huge sacrifices and uncommon truthfulness they exhibited.

“I salute their courage. They stake their names and integrity to salvage our Alma mater at the most crucial moment it needed help.

“They brought the issue of LAUTECH to the front burner of political discourse through their creativity and ingenuity.

“I am of the firm belief and opinion that if such idea was not incubated, the solutions may not have come very quickly as we can see now,” he said.

Owoyokun described the effort as a wakeup call to other members of the alumni association to bring workable ideas to the table and stop the era of arm chair criticism.

He stated that the fund raised by the team would solve some perennial problem associated with issuance of transcript, saying generations yet unborn will remember the effort and act of kindness.

Afolabi and Gbadegesin while receiving the cheque from the initiators appreciated the team for their efforts, describing it as laudable.

Afolabi urged the team not to wind up their activities, saying the institution still needed their support to attain the desired heights.

“We want LAUTECH to rise again and we have to give a roadmap to achieve this; our target is to see the university rank among the best in the world.

“You have done very well; with your initiative, you have run ahead of us.
“We are waiting for the KPMG report after which we will collate the suggestions of all stakeholders,” he said.

Gbadegesin also appealed to the team not to wind up, adding they have started a beautiful and laudable project.

“We appreciate your donation. It is not enough for you to donate money and not see to its proper and judicious utilisation for purposes it is meant for,” he said.

Some parents and students who spoke to NAN also commended the initiative, urging others to emulate such efforts aimed at repositioning the institution.