Nigeria’s Defence Chief leads group to inaugurate renovated OAU Students Union Building

An Alumni group of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has renovated the Students Union Building of the institution.

The group, Committee of Peace and Unity Ambassadors, is led by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor.

The building, which is named after the late activist, Ken Saro Wiwa, was said to have been renovated by the group in partnership with the university management and the students’ union.

The building is also said to have been equipped with a centre for relaxation, seminar and leadership workshop rooms, and a “unity wall.”

The unity wall according to a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Abiodun Olarewaju, is “a map of Nigeria that allows everyone who wants a United Nigeria to sign their name.”

During the inauguration at the weekend, Mr Irabor, a general, charged the students to collaborate with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to ensure a peaceful society.

He said: “It is necessary for us to understand that you as men and women that we are looking up to in the future must know that the collaboration with you and any person like I and my colleagues in Armed Forces and other agencies will enable us to work together to ensure that our sovereignty is safe.”

The defence chief also expressed his strong belief in building the capacity of youths in the country, saying it would equip them for leadership of the nation in future.

‘’It is not out of place to provide an enabling environment that would enhance the thinking of the youth so that they can lead well,” he said.

Speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of OAU, Simeon Bamire, a professor, commended Mr Irabor for his contributions to the renovation of the building.

“This University is indeed grateful to General Irabor, one of our own, who has been portraying the excellent image of the university in positive ways,” he said. “Of course, he is so passionate about OAU, and has been contributing in no small measure to its advancement.”

Mr Banire also extended appreciation to other alumni of the institution for “always rallying round their alma mater,” stressing that the government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of funding the tertiary institution.

Mr Bamire said Mr Irabor has also promised to renovate the Department of Electrical Electronics Engineering in the Faculty of Technology, where he graduated from.

He added that the building will soon be partitioned so that the vendors, who were using the building before for their businesses, could go back to their stands.

While appreciating the group, OAU Students’ Union President, Olayiwola Folahan, noted that the renovation is symbolic of the renewal of the spirit of consciousness within the union.

He expressed optimism that this transformation shall also revitalise the core values and the general strength of the union.