Economy
Reveals, Why I Built Auditorium For LASU
Reveals, Why I Built Auditorium For LASU
Reveals, why I built auditorium for LASU. Let it be recognised that we are not just commissioning a chamber to impact knowledge, but also witness, firsthand, the force of faith, the prophetic power of the tongue and what is possible when we all commit to the pursuit of public good.
By that I mean the audacity to envision what seems most impossible and then summoning a relentless push to make it happen. At my 50th birthday in 2011, I had committed to instituting an annual prize in five disciplines namely, Law, Mass Communications, Social Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
I was very intentional about the criteria to qualify. Academic brilliance was one. Two, coming from a poor background. And three, the beneficiary must be an indigene of our dear state of Lagos.
The whole idea is targeting those brilliant minds at the risk of dropping out of academic pursuit on account of poverty. To the glory of God Almighty, we have been able to sustain that scholarship programme till date.
So, as my 60th birthday approached in 2021, the concern was how I could do more. For me, the idea of throwing a big party to mark the occasion was completely off the table. My darling wife, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, the very able Madam Vice Chancellor of this great university, is the one who initially mooted the idea of building something for LASU to mark my 60th birthday. She was not yet the Vice Chancellor then. I never gave much thought to her suggestion immediately until few days later.
Eventually, after much reflection, I agreed it has to be an auditorium, truly befitting and fit for purpose. By the time we invited the architect, Mr. Kunmi Ayinla, to come up with a building plan and give us the cost implications, I was frightened when I saw the budget drawn by the architect and was immediately filled with doubt as per the feasibility of going ahead to build an auditorium for LASU.
But when God gives you a vision, God Almighty will also provide the means in miraculous ways. Of course, God’s miracle sometimes comes by having some brilliant ideas suddenly deposited in your mind. After days of wrestling with the architect’s budget in my head, it suddenly occurred to me I could ask those going to buy me gifts for the 60th birthday to monetisesuch and hand me the cash to do something really dearto my heart.
It worked. A very wealthy friend and known businessman had wanted to surprise me with a brand new Toyota Land-cruiser Jeep. I appealed to him to convert it to cash. With donations from other able friends and well-wishers, we got started in 2021.
I am of the belief that God Would never abandon whatever He Starts. Help came from some other quarters one least expected.
Still, there were moments of doubts and temptations we encountered. But our faith never wavered. The toughest moment being late 2023 and early 2024 when the Naira went down and inflation upset all previous calculations. It meant that the costs were almost tripled at the point of buying finishing materials. To continue, I had to sell my property at Magodo estate to keep the workers on site in order that it may not become an abandoned project after three years of construction.
To God be the glory, the rest is history.
Without wishing to sound sanctimonious or all-righteous, one point I like to seize this moment to make is the consequential choice between transient enjoyment and posterity. Thus, by choosing to invest the money through sowing the seed in the vineyard of knowledge, I believe we are invariably preserving my 60th birthday cake in a way that it will be shared and savoured by many generations to come.
Besides, this is my humble way of supporting the argument that public purpose is served better by helping public universities fill the infrastructural gap.
Certainly, the government alone cannot do it. Private individuals who really have the means should invest in public tertiary education to create more opportunities as prevalent in several developed countries.
To the students soon to start benefiting from this auditorium in the production of ideas, let me say a few words of advice. I hope you would draw inspiration from the words of the great American statesman, Benjamin Franklin, we engraved on the marble at the entrance. That, “Investment in education pays the best interest”. No truer words have ever been said or spoken.
As you begin to take your seat and hear the voices of your lecturers echo through the Public Address System, I sincerely hope this auditorium will inspire you to double your zeal to excel in your academic pursuit and become the next Ayodele Awojobi, Wole Soyinka, Chike Obi, Isa Abubakar, Oluwasanmi, OlikoyeRansome-Kuti, Ojetunji Aboyade, among other academic giants in our history. As parents, our fervent prayer is that you will be greater than us. Technology has indeed made the world a global village. In our time, the idea of library was a space filled with books, requiring you to walk a distance from the hostel.
Today, the library is on your palm, at the click of your phone, providing you vast information on anything under the sun. So, you have no excuse or reason not to excel.
I have been similarly inspired by my late father, Alhaji Azeez Olatunji Bello. I drew inspiration daily from his legacy. One such was how Ansar Ud DeenCollege at Isolo in Lagos started. When the idea of the school was mooted in early 1950s by the Ansar UdDen Missionary Society, my dad didn’t hesitate before donating his vast tract of land as part of the process to build that school.
To my dad, there was no better way to demonstrate a deep faith in the power of education to transform the society.
Later in life, I was also inspired by the example of my late boss and mentor, Bashorun MKO Abiola, winner of June 12, Presidential Election, who, on a single day in the late 80s, announced an endowment for universities across Nigeria.
Nor should we also forget the inspiring story of our dear President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who, on assumption of duties as governor in 1999, declared that all his salaries and allowances be donated to charities including orphanages. He had also about four years ago announced an endowment fund of one billion naira to this great university.
Why I Built Auditorium For LASU
I have another good news for you the great students of LASU. Courtesy of VDT Communications, there will be free WiFi at the auditorium, to enhance your learning experience. On your behalf, I thank the Managing Director of VDT Communications, Mr. Biodun Omoniyi, who is a great friend of mine from childhood. As you can see, we are committed to your academic success. Let that inspire you to aim for academic excellence always.
To the management of LASU, let me also announce an additional pledge right away.
We recognise that maintenance remains a big challenge vis-a-vis managing public assets. Thanks to the thoughtful generosity of another friend of mine, the maintenance of this auditorium and its facilities will be handled by a private management company for another year.
So that within a year, an appropriate and sustainable maintenance protocols would have been established for LASU authorities to assume full responsibilities thereafter.
Before I conclude, let me put on record that this auditorium is my own token of appreciation to God Almighty for his grace and to my dear native Lagos State for the great opportunities given to me. First, I have also been one of the beneficiaries of the Lagos State Government’s scholarship award as an undergraduate at the University of Ibadan in the early 1980s. And later the privilege to serve in public office in various capacities.
Navy Dismantles Illegal Refining Capacity, Destroys Site With 3 Storage Tanks in Rivers
The Nigerian Navy, through FOB BONNY, has dismantled an illegal refining site discovered in Promise Land Community along Nanabie Creek, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, further denying criminal operators the infrastructure required to process stolen crude oil.
Eereporter.com
The site was discovered on 30 September 2026 following credible intelligence and comprised one large cooking pot and 3 large storage tanks intended for illegal refining activities. On 2 October 2026, the Commanding Officer, FOB BONNY, Captain SMC Umeh, led a team to the location, where the illegal refining site and associated equipment were destroyed in accordance with established regulations.
The intervention represents a further disruption of illegal refining capacity within the Bonny area, particularly by removing infrastructure that could be used to process and store stolen crude oil. It also follows recent operations by FOB BONNY under Operation DELTA SENTINEL that uncovered substantial volumes of suspected stolen crude oil and associated illegal refining infrastructure within its Area of Operations
Oil
The Nigerian Navy has continued to strengthen surveillance and monitoring across the area to prevent the establishment or reactivation of illegal refining sites and deny criminal operators the infrastructure required to sustain crude oil theft and related activities.
ABIODUN FOLORUNSHO
Navy Captain
Director Naval Information
Nigerian Navy
Eereporter.com
NNPC Ltd Offers N66 Fuel Discount Throughout the Nation
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has unveiled a nationwide ₦66 fuel discount promotion for customers using the NNPC Fuel App.
Eereporter.com
In a post obtained from its X handle on Friday, the promotion, which runs from October 1 to 7, is being held across NNPC stations nationwide as part of activities marking the period.
“The ₦66 Discount Promo is ongoing & the excitement is already happening across our stations nationwide!
“All over Nigeria, our customers are getting in on the action & there’s still time for you to benefit!
The promo runs from 1–7 October on the NNPC Fuel App,” the post read.
NNPC said customers across the country have already begun participating in the promotion, with highlights from the first day showing activities at several stations.
“Keep fueling, keep transacting and keep your eyes on our pages,” the post read.
NNPC
NNPC also shared moments from the first day of the promotion and said more pictures and activities from stations across the country would be released.
The company urged customers not to miss the opportunity to participate before the promotion ends on October 7.
The ₦66 discount offer is available through the NNPC Fuel App during the stated promotional period.
Eereporter.com
President Tinubu Tells EFCC: You Have Justified my Confidence in You
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has applauded the efforts and performance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in tackling economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption in the country, stressing that it has justified the confidence reposed on it.
Eereporter.com
He gave this commendation on Friday, October 2, 2026 in Awka, Anambra State at the commissioning of a new Zonal Directorate of the EFCC. The President pointed out that there are evidential proofs of the success of the Commission in convictions, recoveries and other landmark achievements
Represented by Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker, House of Representatives, Tinubu noted that “supporting the EFCC is not particularly difficult. The agency has consistently demonstrated that the confidence reposed on it is well founded. Without mincing words, the evidential proof of the EFCC’s success speaks loudly in convictions secured, assets and properties recovered”
He affirmed that the strides of the Commission are in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.
“When we came in three years ago, I highlighted nine major focal areas of my administration. Two of which are reforming the economy for sustained and inclusive growth and promotion of good governance. The anti-graft agency compliments this agenda as they are focused on accountability and transparency and appropriate deployment of resources”, he said.
At the commissioning, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede restated the commitment of the Commission to preventive frameworks in tackling economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption in the country.
According to him, the Commission will continue its focus on making corrupt practices difficult by blocking avenues through which they may happen.
“This new Directorate will not only enforce the law professionally and courageously, it will be high on corruption prevention. It will engage government institutions, businesses, financial institutions, professional bodies, schools, markets, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, religious bodies and communities. It will educate stakeholders, build relationships and mobilise the people to own the fight against all forms of corrupt practices in the zone”, he said
He assured Nigerians that the EFCC would not relent in the pursuit of its mandate, recalling the achievements of the Commission in the last 34 months and describing them as impressive progress.
“The pursuit of our mandate has been our dominant engagement and in the past few years, we have made impressive progress. Between October 2023 and July 2026, the Commission received 49, 673 petitions, investigated 39, 615 cases, filed 14, 476 cases in court and secured 10, 872 convictions. This gives a conviction-to-filing ratio of 75.1 percent. In the first half of 2026 alone, we recorded 1, 370 convictions from 1, 889 filings. The Commission also recorded recoveries of N1, 233, 612, 040, 411. 11, $684, 478, 457. 32, £373, 905. 78, €9, 343, 803. 66 inn addition to recoveries in other currencies”, he said.
He noted that at the institutional level, the Commission has made radical reforms that have been yielding optimal results as there are consequential improvements in the agency’s processes and procedures, which partly explains the impacts the EFCC has made and will continue to make in all the matrices of law enforcement.
“Reforms that have strengthened the Commission during the period include new guidelines on arrest and bail, a review of sting operations, the establishment of the Department of Fraud Risk Assessment and Control, the Security Department, the Immigration and Visa Section and the Cybercrime Rapid Response Centre”, he said.
While charging Ndi Anambra on whistleblowing, the anti-graft czar said that the Commission has established channels through which members of the public can submit petitions and provide information. He noted that the Commission’s Eagle Eye App allows citizens to provide details of suspected wrongdoing and makes the provision of an informant’s personal details optional. “However, whistleblowing must be responsible and based on facts. It must not become an instrument for settling scores”, he said.
EFCC
He thereafter said that Anambra and Imo States deserve effective and responsive institutional presence as they are renowned for enterprise, innovation, commerce and an extraordinary culture of industry, adding that these legitimate activities must be protected from fraud, cybercrime, money laundering, investment fraud, diversion of public resources and other forms of economic and financial crimes. “Therefore, our coming to Awka is beyond geographical expansion. It is about taking the mandate of the EFCC closer to the people and closer to the economic activities we are meant to protect”, he said.
In their remarks, His Excellencies, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Anambra State and Senator Hope Uzodinma, Governor of Imo State said that they were pleased with the activities and management of the EFCC under the leadership of Olukoyede. They pledged their support to the Commission as it opened a new Zonal Directorate in their domain.
The commissioning of the new Directorate witnessed massive turn out of distinguished Nigerians, including members of the National Assembly, civil society organisations, community leaders, students, media among others.
Eereporter.com
-
Crime1 year agoKogi Assembly Considers Law To Regulate Rent, Establish Control Board: Tenancy Law
-
News2 years agoAtiku Reveals Why He Failed To Pick Wike As Running Mate In 2023
-
Akwa Ibom2 years agoThe Apostolic Church Gets New Territorial Chairman, Exco
-
Crime2 years agoFederal High Court Jails 2 For Vandalizing Transformer, Telecom Mast In Kogi
-
News2 years agoThe Apostolic Church Gets New National President, Executive
-
Akwa Ibom2 years agoUmo Eno Commences Payment Of 80,000 Naira Minimum Wage With Arrears
-
News2 years agoSenator Natasha Returns To Senate With Husband Amid Seat Dispute
-
Economy1 year agoKiyosaki: Is Tinubu’s Government Afraid Of Ibrahim Traore?