By Daniel Kanu
Assistant Politics Editor
Elder statesman and philanthropist, Oyekunle Alex-Duduyemi, has donated a 500-seater auditorium to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife.
The commissioning was conducted a day before the 41st convocation of OAU on Saturday, December 12 with the Vice Chancellor, Professor Bamitile Omole, and other council members in attendance.
Duduyemi, who holds Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), said God has been good to him and he has no choice than to give back to the society.
He urged other individuals to get involved in socially-relevant and need-meeting services.
“The world and life have been mightily good to me, and I want to put something back and do all I can to ensure that students will have better opportunities for learning from their lecturers who are leaders in their various fields from a university that remains second to none in its commitment to teaching and academic excellence,” he stressed.
“Ile Ife, historically known as the ‘Source of the Yorubas’ and a legacy of education, has made enormous difference and contributions in my life.
“I am therefore delighted to be able to express my gratitude in such a tangible way through this educational project.
“The magnitude of this project, its financial outlay and time taken to complete and commission it today, further confirms Aristotle’s statement that to give away money is an easy matter and in any man’s power but to decide whom to give it to and how, is neither in every man’s power nor an easy matter.”
Duduyemi thanked OAU for giving him the opportunity to sow the seed in the institution, saying, he stands “as the pencil in the hand of a writing God” who is sending OAU and the academic world, a love letter in form of the auditorium.
His confidant, Oladipupo Ajayi, told TheNiche that the man “has a heart of gold and always willing to give back to humanity.’’
Duduyemi, the Aro-Asiwaju of Ile-Ife, his home town, was conferred with a Doctor of Business Management (DBM) at the convocation.
