Ebenezer Adurokiya, Reporting
THE Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, has reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to remaining locally relevant and globally competitive.
Adebowale also said the University was determined to lead the way in higher education and sports development in Africa.
The Vice-Chancellor stated this during the turning of the sod and groundbreaking ceremony for a 500-bed hostel and 34 luxury-room apartments for the University of Ibadan Sports Academy.
According to him, the groundbreaking marked the culmination of a vision initiated by the Convener of the Sports Academy, Professor O. A. Adegbesan.
He commended Adegbesan for his dedication and foresight in driving the initiative from its conceptual stage to the groundbreaking milestone, describing the development as one capable of transforming the university and Nigerian sports.
“Today, we are not just laying a foundation for a hostel and apartments. We are laying the foundation for a new model of sustainable development for the University of Ibadan,” Adebowale said.
The Vice-Chancellor described the project as a major pillar of the Sports Academy’s strategy to become a self-sustaining entity capable of contributing meaningfully to the university’s financial independence.
He said the initiative also aligned with the university’s resolve to strengthen the relationship between the gown and the town through innovative partnerships that would benefit the university community and the nation.
Adebowale identified two major benefits of the project: infrastructure for excellence and financial sustainability through a “Sports-as-Business” model.
He said the 500-bed hostel would provide student-athletes and members of the wider community with modern and comfortable accommodation.
According to him, athletes require world-class training and living environments to compete successfully at national and international levels.
He added that the project would support the welfare of athletes and enable them to concentrate on achieving academic and sporting excellence, in line with the Federal Government’s vision under the National Sports and Education Centres of Excellence programme.
The 34 luxury-room apartments, he said, would generate significant Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), thereby creating a diversified and stable funding base for the long-term sustainability of the Sports Academy and the university.
Adebowale consequently charged the project developers to ensure its timely and quality completion to the standard expected of the University of Ibadan.
Earlier, the Chairman of the University of Ibadan Sports Academy, Professor Olufemi A. Adegbesan, said the committee’s vision was to develop a Sports Academy capable of competing with leading sports institutions anywhere in the world.
He said the infrastructure would create an environment where talented young Nigerians could receive quality training, pursue education, develop discipline and character, and prepare for successful careers in sports and other fields.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of MacPrime Properties, Mr Ademola Adeniyi, said his company decided to partner with the University on the project as an investment not only in physical infrastructure but also in the future of sports, education and young people.
The groundbreaking ceremony was witnessed by principal officers of the University, members of the University Council, past and present sports leaders, including former international footballer Mutiu Adepoju, popularly known as “The Headmaster”, and Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba, a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Football Federation.
Also present were leaders of the university community, members of the business community and students of the University of Ibadan Sports Academy.
