The Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Alumni Association, on Monday, inaugurated the newly elected global executives to pioneer its affairs for the next three years.
The inauguration, which was conducted by Chairman LAUTECH Alumni Electoral Committee 2020, Prof. Remi Aworemi in the Governing Council Chamber – LAUTECH Senate Building Ogbomoso, had in attendance the University Management led by the Vice Chancellor – Prof. Michael Ologunde; the Association’s Chairman Board of Trustees and Managing Director – LAUTECH Business School, Chief Jide Bewaji; Chairman Annual Lecture Planning Committee – Prof. Samson Ojoawo, BOT member – Prof. Funke Olagunju, Chapters Chairmen and other notable stakeholders.
Also in attendance were the electoral committee members: Dr. Adeyemi Oluwaseun Adeboje – Secretary (South Africa chapter), Mr. Charles Farayola (Kwara State Chapter), Engr. Sola Ilugbaro (Delta State chapter), Mrs Mojisola Fagbewesa (Osun State chapter), Mr. Adeyinka Adegbola (Lagos State chapter) and Ayobami Obasa (Ondo State Chapter).
The inauguration ceremony follows the Global Convention 2020 of the Association held on Saturday 14th November 2020, on the main campus of the institution.
The validly elected and inaugurated global executives include: Comrade Onilede Solomon Limo as Global President, Osun State Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Lekan Badmus as Global Deputy President, acting Dean of Students – Dr. Azeem Ige as Global Secretary, Mr. Teki Alawiye as Vice-President (North), Mr Teslim Akinkunmi as Vice-President (South), Mr. Olusoji Bidemi Akinrinmade as Vice President (Diaspora), Dr. Yetunde Yusuf as Global Social Secretary, Mr. Eyitayo Mayowa as Global Internal Auditor while Mr. Adeyemi Damilare is to serve Global Public Relations Officer.
Other inaugurated global executives are Mr. Alabo Leye as Global Financial Secretary, Mr. Tunde Oluwasinmirin as Global Treasurer, Mr. Shittu Olanrewaju as Global Welfare Secretary, Mr. Olugbenga Agboola as Global Assistant Secretary; Babalola Obasanjo and Owolawi Jaleel as Ex-Officio.
In his address, the Vice Chancellor of the institution – Prof. Ologunde congratulated Com. Onilede Solomon-led Global Executives and lauded their determination to add value to their Alma Mater. He also reiterated the University Management’s supports for the alumni and pledged to work in collaboration with the Global Executives to develop the institution.
Prof. Ologunde charged Global President Onilede to remain committed to transparency, accountability and accessibility he is known for.
BOT Chairman, Chief Bewaji in his goodwill message encouraged the newly inaugurated executives to be good ambassadors of the university as they discharge their duties.
The Global President – Com. Onilede Solomon while giving his acceptance speech, said that nothing could be more important to his administration than to consolidate on his first-term achievements.
“With calibre of Alumni that have been elected to serve, I solemnly promise that we shall not fail in serving with Excellence and Integrity” he said.
Onilede assured that his administration shall achieve more for both the Association and LAUTECH.
Read the full text of the Acceptance Speech and Highlights of Achievements
BEING AN ACCEPTANCE SPEECH DELIVERED BY COM. ONILEDE SOLOMON JP, THE GLOBAL PRESIDENT OF LAUTECH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AT THE INAUGURATION OF ELECTED GLOBAL EXECUTIVES, HELD ON MONDAY 16TH NOVEMBER 2020 AT UNIVERSITY COUNCIL CHAMBER, OGBOMOSO CAMPUS
Greatest Ladokites,
It was another historic day when fellow members met on Saturday 14th November 2020 for the Global Convention of our great Association. To God be the Glory, we had a robust, rancour-free and successful convention, which produced a new set of Global Executives.
It is a great privilege for me and other newly-elected Global Executives to be here today for official inauguration, which marks the beginning of 3 years journey to move the Association forward. I am deeply honored to accept my re-election as Global President of this Great Association.
Nothing could be more important to our administration than to consolidate on our achievements. With calibre of Alumni that have been elected to serve, I solemnly promise that we shall not fail in serving with Excellence and Integrity.
With God on our side, I assure that this administration shall achieve more for both the Association and our Alma Mater. Some of immediate tasks to undertake are:
• To put in place information and communication system for the Association. We are long overdue for a full-packaged website. Apart from strategic documentation, the website which will have portal for the database of all the graduates is in advanced stage.
• Regular Virtual Meeting: For regular updates and effective collaborations, we are going to adopt at least quarterly zoom meetings with our diaspora members and Chapters within Nigeria.
• Launching of Alumni newsletter, a quarterly magazine that highlights notable activities of the association and its alumni.
• Enhanced mentorship, sponsorship and scholarship programme for undergraduate students.
• Infrastructural intervention (library and laboratory supplies/equipment support)
• Welfare programs for all members – health insurance scheme.
Fellow Alumni, with your continued supports, oneness of purpose and collective selfless determination to continue to uphold the brand “LAUTECH”, our Association shall grow from strength to strength.
While thanking God Almighty for being there for us always, I seek for continued cooperation, collaborations and supports of the past leaderships of the Association, Board of Trustees, Chapters Chairmen and their executives, LAUTECH Management, the Governments of Oyo and Osun States; our distinguished volunteers/partners. Thank you all for being part of my first-term success stories.
My acceptance speech will be incomplete without acknowledging the dedication, commitment and patriotism of all delegates from our mother, states and diaspora Chapters; as well as the LAUTECH ALUMNI ELECTORAL COMMITTEE 2020 ably led by its Chairman, Prof. Remi Aworemi.
HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR FIRST TERM ACHIEVEMENTS
Despite the obvious local, national and global challenges, our administration was able to deliver 90% of what we set out to achieve. Apart from recording some successful events and collaborations, we continued projects initiated by the previous administration. The following are the highlights of our achievements:
REGULAR UPDATE & IMPROVED PARTICIPATION OF MEMBERS
It’s been a business unusual as regular and rotational Global Assembly (formerly NEC) does not only increase membership participation but also ensure all-inclusive, accountable and transparent administration.
POSITIVE PARTNERSHIPS
Our administration has rebranded the Association to a more transparent, accountable and development-oriented. We partner and support Oyo and Osun State Governments’ efforts aimed at lifting our Alma mater to an enviable height. We remain committed to all development initiatives, plans and programs towards advancing the cause of learning and research as well as creating a conducive environment for academic excellence among students and staff of the university.
OUR ASSOCIATION IS NOW LEGITIMISED
As at the time we came in, the association was operating for more than 20years without being registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) by successive executives. We succeeded in registering the body and embark on several diplomatic maneuvers to stabilize the association.
Though reconciliation process is continuous, we are giving a sense of direction to the association by elevating the welfare of members as well as the growth and development of our Alma Mater.
LAUTECH ALUMNI AS A GLOBAL BRAND
When we came on board, there were only twelve chapters of the Association namely: … It is heart-warming to state we have inaugurated additional 2 local chapters and others are at verge of springing forth.
Under this administration, the Association has assumed a global dimension and has become an international brand. Just recently, in October this year, the South Africa Chapter was inaugurated; in a matter of weeks to this time, the UK Chapter will be added to the list. The import of this is that we are Headquartered in Ogbomoso, Nigeria, but our tentacles have spread through increased membership and chapterisation, across the world.
We can boast of members, who have cut their teeth in different career paths and who are blazing the trail in business, sports, economics, entrepreneurship, engineering, banking, oil and gas, shipping and logistics, tailoring, crafts, teaching, government, administration, etc. This administration is seriously harnessing these resources in the interest of the Association and for the development of our Alma mater.
CONSITUTION REVIEW
In our bid to ensure genuine reforms within the Association, administration setup a constitution review committee by amending some aspects of the Constitution. A reviewed constitution was approved by the General Assembly held in Ado Ekiti, and printed copies were unveiled by the General Assembly held in Ogun State. Today, all chapters have been given copies for onward distributions to our members. Special Thanks to our Constitution Review Committee led by Dr. Adeboje for their patriotism and excellent job.
SUCCESSFUL EVENTS
• Global Reunion held on 1st of October 2018 in Lagos
• 13th Annual Alumni Lecture (2019) with Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports (Mr. Sunday Dare) as Guest Speaker
• 14th Annual Alumni Lecture (2020) with His Excellency Engr. Seyi Makinde (Governor of Oyo State) as Guest Speaker and Governor Isiaq Oyetola as Special Guest of Honour.
• Periodic capacity building and career talks for undergraduates and graduating students.
ADMINISTRATIVE INTERVENTIONS
• Facilitation of tuition fees reduction for all undergraduate Students
• Donation of utility bus to LAUTECH Students’ Union Government in order to ensure security of lives and properties our undergraduate students
PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS & FACILITATED PHILANTHROPIC PROJECTS
Having all been key beneficiaries of the greatness of LAUTECH, it should be our endeavour to continue to give back, out of the abundance that this prestigious institution has given us, in a way that will reinforce our impact and relevance to this institution as we work to restore the greatness of LAUTECH.
In the spirit of giving back, some fellow alumni and I have not only made personal contributions to our Alma Mater but also facilitated meaningful projects and programmes, which include:
• Ultra-modern state-of-the-art LAUTECH ALUMNI E-LIBRARY donated by Maigida and commissioned by His Excellency Adebayo Alao-Akala
• Honourable Minister Sunday Dare’s N6 million worth of 3-in-1 HP desktop for Transcript production for LAUTECH Graduatesm,
• Honourable Minister Sunday Dare’s move to facilitate approval of Operation License for LAUTECH Radio Station by the National Broadcasting Corporation
• I personally bankrolled members and delegations to all Association’s official assignments
• Scholarship grants to nearly-dropout indigent students from myself and other distinguished alumni.
• Personal donations of 1000 blocks and supply of several bags of cement to Physics Students Association
• Personal donations of COVID-19 palliatives to some needy members
EXECUTED PROJECTS & PROGRAMMES
• Rehabilitation of the access road to LAUTECH Alumni Secretariat
• Comprehensive renovation of Alumni Secretariat
• Purchase of an 18-seater Hiace Bus for the Association
• Institutionalisation and inauguration of Scholarship Scheme as enshrined in the Reviewed Constitution
• Introduction of Agricultural Empowerment Scheme for the Alumni members who are presently unengaged
• Registration and Launching of LAUTECH Alumni Cooperatives: to provide soft loans to members of the Association who are in financial distress
• Donation of ultra-modern well to Alumni Secretariat
FINANCIAL REPORT
Our administration has been very prudent in the management of the Association’s resources. Kindly find attached, our financial report in the last 35months.
ALUMNI CIVIC CENTRE
As we can see, our administration continued with the construction of the Alumni Civic Centre, which was initiated by the immediate past administration.
All arrangements had been put in place towards 100% delivery of the project but COVID-19 lockdown and the recent #ENDSARS protests have actually slowed down the pace of work.
Let’s look forward to completion and commissioning of this project before the next General Assembly.
CONCLUSION
Trust is a thing earned! I earned the trust and confidence of all stakeholders during my first-term by being honest, accessible, transparent, accountable and respectful of diverse points of view. As we start another journey today, I and my team will never let you down as we discharge our constitutional obligations.
Long live LAUTECH Alumni Association!
Long live Oyo and Osun State!!
Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta….
