Femi Otedola, a multi-billionaire businessman and philanthropist from Nigeria, has realised a lifelong passion by donating the finished block A of a multi-billion-naira faculty of engineering complex to Augustine University, Ilara, Epe, Lagos State.
In the presence of Lady Doja Otedola, his mother and the project’s inspiration, as well as the institution’s proprietor and the Archbishop of the Metropolitan Sea of Lagos, Archbishop Adewale Martins, Otedola, the Chancellor of Augustine University, handed over the building to the school during the inauguration and handover ceremony held yesterday.
In his remark, he said, “It is with thanksgiving to God that I express my great delight for today’s ceremony for the commissioning of the first block of the engineering complex of Augustine University. I thank God that my dream of donating the first block of faculty of engineering building has become a reality.
“On the 11th of March 2018, at the fund-raising dinner organised by my sister, Dame Sena Anthony, I made the commitment to donate one building of the faculty of engineering to the university. On realising that the first building is a four-building complex, during my mother’s 90th birthday celebration last year, I increased my commitment to the engineering complex to the sum of N2 billion.”
Oteodola also laid the foundation for phase 2 of the faculty complex, which he pledged would be finished in no more than two years.
He stated that his goal was to help Augustine University become the premier centre of excellence in Africa for the study of different engineering specialties.
“In fulfilment of this pledge, I am extremely delighted to be also turning the sod today for the commencement of building No 2 of the engineering faculty complexes.
“I hope the construction period for this building will not be more than two years in view of the envisaged rapid growth of the students of the university with the admission of engineering students in the school.”
Nonetheless, Otedola, the Chairman of Geregu Power Plc, commended the university’s owner for naming the engineering faculty building after his mother, adding “I’m glad that she is alive to witness this historic event in view of her unflinching commitment to the university.”
