FUND UNIVERSITY EDUCATION – Awolowo Dosumu urges FG

OAU E-portal news 

The Federal Government has been called upon to give more premium to the funding of education, most especially, the University education.

A former Nigerian ambassador to Canada, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, stated this when the Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, led his team on a courtesy visit to the Awolowo family in Ikenne.

Welcoming the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Awolowo-Dosumu described the art of administering a University as not only stressful but exceptionally demanding, stating that only people of impeccable credentials can be the Vice-Chancellor of a world class University like OAU.

She lauded Professor Ogunbodede’s leadership style and urged him to do all within his power to sustain the legacies of the founding fathers of the University.  Dr. Awolowo-Dosumu, then, enjoined the Federal Government to commit more money to properly fund education so that this generation of Nigerian would benefit what their grandfathers and fathers benefitted during the free education era of her father, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Commending the Vice-Chancellor for a job well done, the former Ambassador noted all the effort the University management is making in terms of the repairs and renovation of the halls of residence, and then pledged the readiness of the Awolowo family to assist the University in any area that the management wants.  She appreciated the kind gesture of Professor Ogunbodede in maintaining the aesthetics of the University, particularly the horticultural excellence and architectural beauty, describing the totality of the beauty of the University as a phenomenon.

She then prayed that the good Lord will continue to be with the Vice-Chancellor and his team, adding that God will give them required knowledge, wisdom and sound health to further take OAU to a much greater height.Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of OAU, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, had described Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in whose name the University was rechristened, as a living legend whose legacies in all areas of life could not be erased in the history of Nigeria, Africa and the black race.

He further described Chief Awolowo as a visionary leader whose selfless services impacted positively on his people, particularly the South West Region, where his government established the first Television Station in Africa, the Liberty (now Awolowo) Stadium, the famous cocoa house etc.

Pledging the support of his administration to the Awolowo family, Professor Ogunbodede stated that Chief Awolowo has made OAU a unique brand among other first rated Universities in Africa.

He described as invaluable the unquantifiable contributions of the Awolowos to the overall development of the University, emphasizing that during his tenure, the ties between OAU and the Awolowo would be much stronger than before. 

The Vice-Chancellor, then, alluded the intellectual vibrancy, political activism and social consciousness of the students resident in Awolowo Hall of the University to the socio-political sagacity of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.  He then appealed to the Awolowo family to partner with the University on Awolowo Hall so that the legacy of Chief Obafemi Awolowo would be passed down to next generations.