... Alumni honours Ooni of Ife, Ataoja of Osogbo, other distinguished personalities
The poor state of Nigeria’s economic vis-à-vis the failure of leadership to maximally tap the country’s endowed natural resources to develop same was a major topic at the recently concluded 108th National Executive Council and Delegate meeting of the University of Nigeria Alumni Association.
The event was held between September 21 and 24, 2023 at Ojaja Arena, Ojaja Resort & Industrial Hub, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
During the delegate NEC/Delegate meeting, held on Saturday, September 23, the National President of the Alumni, Dr. Mrs Linda Agua-Onyekwelu, while welcoming guests commended the efforts of the host Branch and Local Organising Committee to ensure the hitch free activities of the event.
Earlier, the President of the Osun state chapter of the Association, Dr. Femi Ogunbamiwo described the 2023 NEC/Delegate meeting as another remarkable turning point in the life of the Alumni movement.
He lauded the supports of members and most especially the effort of HRM Oba Oyetunde Olumuyiwa Ojo, the Olona of Ada for championing the course to make the event held in Osun state.
In attendance were the National Officers of the Association across the forty branches.
Notable personality guests were Oonirisa of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Babatunde Ogunwusi Ojaja II; Ataoja of Osogbo, His Royal Highness, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji (represented by Chief Adewale Maruf); Olona of Ada, His Royal Highness, Oba Oyetunji Ojo and Dr. Folaranmi Akinosun
Others were erudite scholar, Prof. Michael Olufisayo Ologunde who was the Guest Speaker, and his wife, Prof. O. A. Ologunde, Dr. Olawale Fasakin, Engr. Ghazalli Ajijolaiya, Barrister Olusegun Alalade and host of others.
Speaking on the theme titled “Nigeria’s Natural Resources and Their Impact Of Her National Economy, the guest speaker, Prof. Ologunde dissected the state of Nigeria’s resources and their importance to Nigeria’s national economic development.
He lampooned the inability of the successive governments to tap the resources to the fullest for proper developing Nigeria’s economy.
Ologunde who spoke profoundly of the endowment of natural resources in Nigeria maintained that with the abundance of these resources, Nigeria has no reason to remain poor.
The former vice chancellor of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, listed oil and gas, solid minerals, tourism, forestry, tourism, human capital and agriculture as major natural resources abound in Nigeria, describing them as catalyst for national economic development, if properly managed.
Stressing the importance of these natural resources to Nigeria’s economic development, Ologunde, told the gathering that resources like oil and gas, solid minerals, and agricultural products contribute significantly to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), noting that the extraction and sale of these resources provide substantial revenue for the government, which are used to finance social programs and infrastructure development.
Another significant roles played by these resources, according to Ologunde, include job creation, foreign exchange earnings. energy generation, food security, infrastructure development, technology transfer, industrialization, sustainable development and social development.
Ologunde remarked that there is good relationship between natural resources management and national development, adding that huge natural resources in Nigeria only need good public management for national development.
“Because of lack of good public management, huge sums of money accruing from natural resources are not remitted by individuals and corporate bodies to the national purse to the detriment of national development” he said.
In his contribution, the chairman of the event, Dr. Akinosun said agriculture remains the best alternative to oil, advising the government to provide enabling environment for our youths to go into agriculture.
He however believed that major harm to our economy is corruption, and called on government to tackle this monster headlong.
While acknowledging the terrible state of the economy, he called the attention of the Tinubu led administration on the need to creating jobs.
Corroborating Akinosun’s suggestion on job creation, the Olona of Ada, Oba Ojo stated the importance of generation of enough power supply, saying a situation whereby a country is experiencing epileptic electricity as the case in Nigeria, job creation will
The royal father added that the country needs to re-orientate academic programme in order to stop turning out employed graduates.
“We should tailor our academic programme towards our national needs,” Oba Ojo stated.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to personalities who has excelled in their various callings.
Speaking on the awardees, the national president of the UNAA, Dr. Agua-Onyekwelu said the gesture was a way to institutionalise highest standards in all fields of human endeavour.
Those received awards included His Imperial Majesty, Oonisia, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Imperial Global Grand Patron Award), Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, Ataoja of Osogbo, (Royal Heart of Gold Award) and Dr. Olufisayo, Akinosun (Excellence in Leadership Values’ Award), Prof. Ologunde (Outstanding UNAA Personality Award) and Dr. Fasakin ((Eminent Leadership Award).
Other notable awardees are Engr. Olayemi Ghazali Ajijolaiya (Excellence in Human Capital Development Award), Chief Olusegun Alalade (The Heart of Gold Award), Dr. Adeniyi Samuel Oginni (Distinguished Personality and Friend of UNAA Award) and Otunba Olajide Awokunle Aworanti (Lifetime Achievement Award.
In his brief appearance at the meeting, Oba Ogunwusi who is also the Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, eulogized the leadership and members of the Alumni for their ideals and promised to continue supporting them whenever he’s called upon.
See below some other pictures at the event
