It was jubilation galore on Thursday in Kabba town as emeritus Professor Olatunji Dare, donated his country home to the Kogi State University (KOSU) Kabba.
The tastefully furnished five bedroom is situated along Late Pa Peter Seleke Road, Oluwatobi Quarters Kabba, Kogi State.
The five bed room duplex has two spacious sitting rooms, two kitchens, a dining, stores, all rooms en-suite, store, laundry, functional borehole, brand new generator (sound-proof Mikano generating set), modern gate house, boys’ quarter.
The house is beautifully landscaped with flowers gardens, inter-locking tiles and fitted with two gates and solar lights.
The entire university community, led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Kehinde Eniola and the Chairman of the Governing Board of the University, Professor Sulaiman Sadiku were full of gratitude to God and Professor Dare as they received the keys and building documents from a representative of the donor, Colonel Samuel Abayomi Dare (Rtd).
Those who attended the handover event included a friend of the donor and Chairman of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi, the Obaro of Kabba and Chairman of the Okun Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty, Oba Dele Owoniyi and members of council, and a representative of the donor, Colonel Samuel Abayomi Dare (Rtd).
Others are Chairman, Governing Council of Kogi State University, Kabba: Prof. Suleiman Sadiku, Vice Chancellor of KOSU, Prof. Kehinde Eniola, Registrar of KOSU, Dr. Joel Usman Amodu and the Bursar, Mrs. Florence Gbodi Alabi, among other academic and non-academic staff of the university.
Both the Vice Chancellor, Professor Eniola and the Chairman of the Governing Board of the School, Professor Sadiku temporarily took upon themselves the role Choirmasters as they led the audience in songs in both the local dialect and English to show their gratitude and happiness over the gift.
They equally danced and genuflected intermittently for which the audience had no choice but to join the dancing and jubilation.
Even though Professor Dare was not physically present at the event, he had a worthy representative in “whom I am well pleased,” in the person of
Colonel (Dr.) Abayomi Dare, a Senior Partner at Yomi Dare & Company and Managing Director of International Masters Security Systems Limited.
Col. Dare travelled from Lagos to Kabba to deliver Prof Dare’s speech and to officially hand over the property to the authorities of the KOSU, Kabba.
In his remarks at the event read by Col. Dare, Professor Dare explained the rationale behind his decision to gift his country home mansion to KOSU, Kabba.
Going down memory lane,
Professor Dare said: “Long before the creation of Kogi State, the people of Okunland had been yearning for a University.
“After all, education is their industry. At the very least, they expected the College of Agriculture, Kabba, established in the 1960s as an affiliate of Ahmadu Bello University, to be upgraded to a full-fledged University.
“The basic infrastructure was in place. The catchment area boasted thriving secondary schools that would guarantee a stream of well-prepared students.
“Also guaranteed was a faculty of senior and middle-level academics of Okun origin willing and ready to relocate from universities in Nigeria and abroad.
“Everything was in place, except the political will.
That will finally found practical expression some four years or so ago, with the establishment of Kogi State University, Kabba.
“Watching its inaugural matriculation ceremony on television from this residence that will from today become a property of Kogi State University, Kabba, the thought of endowing the university through one gesture or another took shape in my mind.
“I had just turned 75 at the time, and realised that I had far fewer years ahead of me than behind me.”
According to him, the first person he shared the thought of donating the property to the University outside his immediate family was “our esteemed brother, Olu Obafemi, Distinguished Professor of Dramatic Literature, Emeritus, and Asiwaju of Kiri Kingdom.”
According to him,
Obafemi was at the time chairman of the Governing Council of Kogi State University, Kabba, “and the excitement with which he received the intimation virtually sealed the matter. That was eight months ago.”
He said: “With his accustomed dynamism, Professor Obafemi quickly devised a ceremony for the formal transfer of the property. Perhaps he was fearful that I might change my mind. There was no chance. Though premature, his move set the scene for today’s ceremony.
“The Vice Chancellor, Professor Kehinde Eniola, took over the matter from there, communicating with me directly by phone and email and WhatsApp.”
He noted that another Vice Chancellor in his exalted office would have delegated the matter to a lesser official, probably a senior assistant registrar. Not he.
“Even if I had been minded to change course, Professor Eniola’s courtesies alone would have dissuaded me,” Professor Dare said: “In phone call after phone call, email after email and WhatsApp message after WhatsApp message, he displayed those attributes, rare these days, that our people consecrated in the term OMOLUABI.”
He added: “Thank you very much, Mr Vice Chancellor. I hope your noble example will pervade the halls and offices of Kogi State University Kabba.”
He further advised the Vice Chancellor and the school management on how to make sure that the school fulfills its mandate.
He said: “Kogi State University Kabba should not strive to be just another university. It should, instead, explore opportunities provided by the history, culture, ecology and environment of its location to expand the frontiers of knowledge and widen the mental horizons of its students and members of the larger community.
“Within a 30-km radius of this location, you will find an abundance of specialists in practically every subject under the sun and even beyond it. Take the fullest advantage of this abundance.
“You will find retired senior policy-makers of every hue willing to impart their wisdom to and share their knowledge with KSU Kabba’s constituencies. These are valuable assets. Cultivate them. Engage them as resource persons.
“In the burgeoning expatriate Nigerian communities in Europe and America, you will find hundreds, perhaps thousands, of accomplished academics, professionals and industrialists of Okun origin. Draw them into a constituency, a network for the advancement of KSU Kabba.
“We shall always have with us those who first for knowledge but have had no opportunity to do so. Help them in their quest for self-actualization through promoting and sustaining literacy and through teaching those skills so vital to functioning in a world that waits for no person.
“Do not leave them behind.
Permit me, Your Majesties, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, to engage in reminiscences that occasions of this nature call for. My mother Charity Ajoke Dare (neé Lewu), acquired this site in 1974, hoping that I would put up a building on it within a year or two. I regret that I did not fulfill her expectations.”
He recognised and commended those who played one role or the other in the acquisition of the land and construction of the edifice and requested that a minute silence be observed in honour of those that have passed on including his mother.
He said: “Construction on the site began 40 years later, and 17 years after her death.
My immediate younger brother Emmanuel Dare kept land grabbers away but unfortunately passed away in the final phase of the construction.
“My primary school classmate and friend, Samuel Olowosulu, a retired specialist in stores and supplies, supervised the building with scrupulous integrity. He witnessed the completion but passed away some three years ago. (The wife of late Olowosulu graced the event).
“In many significant ways, this day belongs to them.
In my visits home while the house was being built. My uncle Ambassador Dr Jaiyeola Lewu housed me and shielded me in innumerable ways and was an inspiring companion. This day belongs to him, too.
“To the artisans who built the house, my grateful thanks for the cordial relationship we enjoyed from start to finish. I enjoin the denizens of the neighbourhood to accord new and future residents the respect and goodwill they always showed me: I urge KSU Kabba, for its part, to ensure that its neighbours reap the dividends of its presence.
“It remains now to hand over the keys and documents relating to this property to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Kehinde Eniola, to hold and to keep in perpetuity, for and on behalf of Kogi State University, Kabba.
“Much to my regret, I am unable to perform that act in person. My nephew Colonel Yomi Dare (Rtd), an Officer and Gentleman in whom I am well pleased, has kindly taken precious time away from his demanding law practice and incurred considerable personal expense to hand over the edifice on my behalf.
“May all who will reside in it, conduct official business in it or inhabit it for one purpose or another, and those who will service it, do so in good health, good cheer, and happy contentment. Amen.”
The Vice Chancellor of KOSU, Professor Eniola, in his remarks, expressed gratitude to God for blessing the University through spirited individuals and philanthropists like Professor Dare.
Eniola said: “We thank God for a beautiful day again. It’s another wonderful occasion and unfolding history of our university. We just received another donation which is a mansion which Professor Olatunji Dare has graciously bequeathed to the university.
without any strings attached.
“This for us is a massive encouragement. We now have an ability to receive visitors. I think about six rooms in the house. You can imagine when you have an apartment with six rooms, you can receive guests, which can easily be accommodated without straining yourself.
“Besides the gift, the expression of the love and confidence, the acceptance that this gift represents is more important to me as the Vice Chancellor which shows the community is buying into
the vision of the university.
“Personally speaking, I’m excited. I’m excited because when you see people who see what you are doing and then they say we will support what you are doing, there is nothing to it other than that God is blessing your work, for which I’m very grateful to God.”
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of KOSU, Kabba, Professor Sadiku said that the donation showed the buy-in of the community to the establishment, progress and development of the university.
Sadiku said: “I feel very highly elated today for having this edifice donated to us by an
illustrious scholar, media guru and a globally accredited university school.
“So, this is what we want to have. When we started this university, we wanted the buy-in of the community. This is a great indication of the buy-in, that the people are taking ownership of their university.
“They are interested and that’s an indication that they love the university. That why they are giving whatever they have, their window’s mite to the university.
“This one is by every means a great donation and by the grace of God, we shall put it to use for the benefit of mankind and to the glory of God Almighty.”
Professor Olu Obafemi in his remarks described the gesture as exemplary and a thing of joy.
Professor Obafemi said: “It’s a thing of joy. It’s a factor of excitement and intimidation. The level of generosity that Professor Olatunji Dare brought into giving out this property to the university is exemplary.
“He did not only give the building, he furnished it, he provided it a big generator to make sure that it functions immediately.
“It has come from his heart. From the love that he has for the community, the love he has for education, and what he shares with the university community that is established here is exemplary, is worthy of emulation and I feel very proud to see somebody that is close to me and I’m close to and I think we all have learned from this great gesture.”
The Obaro of Kabba, Oba Owoniyi, speaking in an interview after formally unveiling the house now christened: “Kogi State University, Professor Olatunji Dare House” urged other members of the community to emulate the gesture.
Oba Owoniyi said: “This should be an example to others to emulate. It is our prayer that you don’t even have to come from Kabba before you help the university.
“This university is not meant for Kabba alone, it is meant for the whole of the state. So an Igala man can come here to help us. Any public-spirited individual can come around to help us. So we are appealing to people of good will to come to our aid.
“This is our wish since we came on board. It is our wish that good things should happen to Kabba.
“How many Kabba people can do what this man has done for us? Has there been anybody who has been able to do something like this?
“I am short of words. You don’t know how some people reason. Some people said the university is Gbajawere (emergency) and that it is a product of 2023 elections.
It is a product of 2023 elections I agree. The students there are going to 300 level and many more are going to be admitted.”
He prayed for God to bless and reward Professor Dare for the donation.
In his remarks, the representative of donor, Colonel Dare said: “To be very honest with you, he has always been a touch bearer and a pillar of support and a gentleman par excellence. He’s a go-getter and we all respect him. I’m very very proud of him. You can see I came all the way from Lagos just to come here to represent him.”
Speaking about the property, the legal practitioner and former Director of Army Legal Services, Col. Dare, said: “Oh, it’s a whole house. It’s a customised house. He had built this place like his retirement home. Everything is there. But suddenly, the kind of man that he is, he just thought that what does he need it for after all?
“This is the university and he has been passionate about what to do and what to give to this university and the community and decided to donate this.”
