The Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has advised Nigerian Universities to be innovative in generate funds for running their institutions rather than blaming the government for all their inadequacies.
Osinbajo gave the charge at the official opening of the Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation Auditorium donated to the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Public Health, University of Ibadan (UI).
The outgoing Vice President, who noted that the successful universities of the world are the ones that engage in aggressive fundraising stressed that private funding is very vital to universities.
Revealing that the Nigerian government’s total annual budget is inadequate to meet our national developmental needs, Osinbajo lauded 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.
In his remarks, Governor Seyi Makinde, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Olubanwo Adeosun appreciated the KAAF for the donation on behalf of the people of Oyo State.
Makinde, who urged the university to maintain the auditorium properly, noted that Sir Kesington Adebutu is a philanthropic Nigerian who donates generously irrespective of the political or religious affiliations of the beneficiaries.
In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, (Administration), Professor Ezekiel Olusola 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.
However, the Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor Olayinka Omigbodun called on the federal government to relax its policies such as TSA, which are strangulating research efforts in the universities.
She also urged the government to transform the universities to discourage brain drain.
Speaking through Aare Kola Oyefeso, Sir Adebutu said that KAAF is a veritable blessing from the Supreme Lord established when Sir Adebutu turned 70 years old in 2005.
He said “It is a special purpose vehicle to give back to society especially, in the areas of education, health service delivery, employment generation, 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 250 seater auditorium fully air conditioned, with multi media facilities, 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 put to good use as a dedicated space to deliver lectures, presentations, discourses and performances to large audiences, facilitating effective communication, knowledge sharing, and community engagement.
