Why I built auditorium for LASU – Tunji Bello

.Sanwo-Olu, Alausa, Osoba commend gesture

By Adesina Wahab

The Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, Hon. Olatunji Bello, has said he decided to build an auditorium for the Lagos State University, LASU, as a way of sowing seed in the vineyard of knowledge, instead of spending lavishly on a birthday party when he clocked 60 in 2021.
Bello, a former member of the Lagos State Executive Council, also noted that it was in line with his belief that public purpose is served better by helping public universities fill the infrastructural gap.
He spoke in Epe on Wednesday during the inauguration of the auditorium he donated to the Epe Campus of LASU.
“Without wishing to sound sanctimonious or all-righteous, one point I like to seize this moment to make is the consequential choice between transient enjoyment and posterity. Thus, by choosing to invest the money through sowing the seed in the vineyard of knowledge, I believe we are invariably preserving my 60th birthday cake in a way that it will be shared and savoured by many generations to come.
“Besides, this is my humble way of supporting the argument that public purpose is served better by helping public universities fill the infrastructural gap.
“Certainly, the government alone cannot do it. Private individuals who really have the means should invest in public tertiary education to create more opportunities as prevalent in several developed countries,” he said.
The FCCPC boss told the gathering that he had to sell a property of his in Magodo, Lagos few years ago when the cost of materials shot up drastically.
The donor had earlier on his 50th birthday in 2011, instituted annual prizes in five disciplines namely, Law, Mass Communications, Social Sciences, Engineering and Medicine at the same university.
“So, as my 60th birthday approached in 2021, the concern was how I could do more. For me, the idea of throwing a big party to mark the occasion was completely off the table. My darling wife, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, the very able Madam Vice Chancellor of this great university, is the one who initially mooted the idea of building something for LASU to mark my 60th birthday. She was not yet the Vice Chancellor then. I never gave much thought to her suggestion immediately until few days later,” he added.
Commending his efforts, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa and former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, described the gesture as laudable and which should be emulated.
Sanwo-Olu said, “I was at his 60th birthday ceremony when he made the commitment and thank God it has been fulfilled. Despite the difficulties of the time, you did this. God will replenish your pocket. We put education on the front burner in our administration and we are happy that people like Hon. Tunji Bello are supporting our efforts.
“LASU has space for more donations and endowments like this one. While we will continue to support LASU to be the best, we are calling on others to complement the efforts.”
Education Minister, who also commended the donor, poured encomiums on the Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello for her giant strides in the institution.
Aremo Osoba said some people would have spent such funds on social celebration and gatherings.
Alausa promised to help ameliorate the poor power supply in the Ojo and Epe campuses of the university, promising that 11 megawatts and five megawatts would be provided additionally for the campuses.
The VC, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, said her husband’s greatest commitment has been on education because of the belief that it could shape destiny and help people get out of poverty.

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