Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu together with Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State were among the personalities honoured by the University of Lagos Alumni Association, at its Golden Jubliee celebration.
At the event held at the Lagos Intercontinental Hotel on Saturday night, Governor Oyetola expressed the strong need for members of the Alumni Association to come to the aid of their alma mater to enable the institution to carry out its mandate efficiently and effectively.
Oyetola, who is an alumnus of the university, was honoured for his contribution to the political landscape and Human Development.
Fielding questions from journalists shortly after the event, the governor who thanked his alma mater for recognising his modest efforts at giving his utmost to politics and humanity, appealed to all members to join hands with the Alumni Association to build a better and stronger University that would deliver the Nigeria of their dream.
He advocated the strong need for private individuals to get involved in the funding of university education.
“More than ever, the University needs her alumni to perform its mandate to the nation and the world. More than ever, alumni need to get involved in the funding of their institutions. More than ever, the alumni must use their influence and positions to facilitate development for their institutions.
“This is the way to go in this period of national economic dire strait when institutions are struggling for funds so that our alma maters can continue to perform their role as the citadels of learning that churn out manpower for sustainable development,” the governor said.
He said the award would no doubt spur him to do more.
“I am deeply humbled to have been considered for the conferment of the Golden Jubilee Distinguished Alumni Award by the Alumni Association of our alma mater, the prestigious University of Lagos.
“The award is a product of the strength of character and the analytical skills and competencies that I took away from the University of Lagos 41 years ago when I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Insurance and came back to touch it up with a Master of Business Administration years later.
“In my years in the private sector and even as I now serve in the public service, I have always applied these three core skills ‘In deed and In Truth’ as ingrained in my impressionable undergraduate mind by a University that has become the pride of Africa where global leaders are being churned out.
“For me, the award is an invitation and a motivation for me to be of more profound service to our alma mater, our nation and humanity,” Oyetola added.