The Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday commissioned the Oba Adebiyi Adesida Afunbiowo II Hall at the Federal University of Technology Akure,FUTA.
The project was dedicated to the 10th memorial celebration of the late monarch who joined his ancestors in 2013.
Obasanjo is a long standing friend to the family of the late Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida.
Inaugurating the hostel, Obasanjo said the partnership with FUTA by the Adesida Dynasty was not misplaced.
He pointed out that FUTA has a great institution of learning with a lot of achievements among its peers locally and globally which has made it the Best University of Technology in Nigeria and one of the top ten.
He commended the Vice Chancellor, for steering the ship of FUTA well as the first woman to hold such sensitive and tasking position and the recent ranking of FUTA as the country’s Third Best University in the country.
Speaking at the event, the Olori of the Adesida Dynasty, Dr. Monisola Adesida said the event was in commemoration of the 10th year of the passage of the late monarch, who reigned between September 1, 2010 and December 1, 2013.
She said though the demise of the late monarch was painful, throughout the ten years, people still hold him dearly in their hearts.
She explained that the family decided to immortalize his name hence the building of the Oba Adebiyi Adesida Afunbiowo II Hall under the Public Private Partnership operation in FUTA.
She commended the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji for graciously agreeing to the request of the family and approving the site of the hostel.
In her remarks, the Vice chancellor, Professor Oladiji commended the family of the late Monarch for considering FUTA a beneficiary of such project.
She said “one of the greatest challenges in higher education in Nigeria today is shortage of befitting hostel accommodation for students.
“Apart from the inconveniences and cost of shuttling between far-flung private accommodation and lecture rooms, students are also robbed of the peculiar campus experiences as a result of inadequate hostel accommodation.
“Worse still, many anti-social tendencies are learnt or embraced by students in off-campus accommodation.
“I am therefore very glad that another step has been taken in ameliorating the problem of students’ hostel accommodation.”
She said it would be hard to quantify the benefit of the structure in the lives of the students who will make use of it.
Extolling the virtues of the late monarch, former governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and the Osemawe and Paramount ruler of Ondo Kingdom, His Imperial Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Victor Kiladejo described the Late Oba Adebiyi Adesida as a giver, genial, amiable and a lover of people around him.
They commended President Olusegun Obasanjo for the love demonstrated towards the family of the late Monarch by honouring them with his presence to commission the project.
Other Dignitaries at the events include the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde represented by his deputy, Adebayo Lawal and Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke represented by his deputy, Kola Adewusi, the clergy, traditional rulers, top government functionaries and the academia.
