Alumni set to rebrand our university — OAU don

What exactly is the OAU Advancement Foundation all about?

The foundation is set up to garner support across the globe for a real-time growth and development in the university. It is not as if we have not before now set aside some resources for the rainy days for the university, but the truth is that public universities in the country today are finding it more difficult to even pay for consumables such as electricity and other social amenities, let alone embark on big projects.

We’re proud that our university is not only reputed to be the Africa’s most beautiful campus, but we also boast to have produced so many highly accomplished individuals across all spheres of human endeavours. Our alumni community worldwide has continued to make strong and positive impacts beyond their immediate environments and at the forefront of advancing humanity in general.

So, the foundation, which is to be launched in Lagos this Saturday, December 4, is coming at a time when the resources accruable from the Federal Government, the owner of the university, is no longer sufficient just as it is applicable to other public universities in the country, to meet many of its basic needs.

However, the foundation, among other things will assist the university to reposition and meet up with the 21st century standards as obtainable in the developed climes outside Africa and also help to sustain the ideals of the founding fathers which is to be the most preferred university in Africa for learning and culture as well as research and community services.

What is the target and how do you intend to meet it?

We have a very wide target, which is N1 billion as the base of the endowment. Already, so many people, particularly the alumni have made some commitments towards this cause and we have no reason to doubt them. Even at that, we are not limiting this to OAU alumni. We are also asking corporate organisations, groups, friends and benefactors of the university; philanthropists and other stakeholders to partner with us on this cause.

How do you intend to engage trusted hands with all of these things?

Certainly, trust is very important.  And this foundation is a unique one because it is not going to be run by the university, but by an independent board of trustees. Whatever fund that is coming in will be managed by the board. The board will determine the most important projects to support. The board will receive the resources, invest and multiply them. That is how it is being done in the developed climes. An example of such is Harvard University in the US. In fact, there are only two or three conditions for which Harvard University can spend its endowment fund; in the economic recession and war. So, in our own modest way, the foundation will not spend money on frivolities. It won’t be for payment of salaries or to buy buses for students and things like that.  It will be spent on things that will endure and for the greater good of the university. The board in its wisdom will do the needful when the need arises.

This is why the university has chosen men and women of impeccable character and credentials in the society as its members. We shall unveil them at the launch.

What do you have to say about government funding OAU?

Every Nigerian knows that the biggest challenge faced by any Nigerian public university today is paucity of funds. That is the reason I can’t imagine why people would spend so much to send their children to private primary and secondary schools, but will not want to spend such a huge amount of money again on the same children who are now in the public universities. It means something is wrong with the system. That is why we need to have a major national conversation about the future of higher education in Nigeria. If we want a working tertiary school system, we must be ready to fund it well. This is why a lot of private universities in the country are thriving; they charge high tuition which they use to improve their schools. If you visit any private university today and revisit it next year, you will notice some positive changes. However, if it were to be a public university, things may have deteriorated. We cannot continue to live with such contradictions as a nation if we genuinely want to move our public universities forward.

OAU has so many high profiled alumni globally, how did you arrive at the 60 you have picked for the university awards?

Really, it was a very difficult task to select just 60 alumni out of the whole lot. This is a 60-year old university with alumni in every corner of the world doing excellently well in their chosen fields and also for humanity. So, when you see the 60 persons concerned, you will know why OAU is a great university. So, they are great personalities in different sectors within and outside Nigeria, Aside that, they are also very consistent in supporting the university. It is now time for the university to use the occasion of the 60th anniversary to formally recognise and celebrate them for their efforts.

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