…as MicCom endowment fund present N150million fund to OAU
By Shina Abubakar Osogbo
The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has disclosed that giving appropriate support to education enhances nation’s knowledge depth thereby enhancing development and progress of a country.
The Governor disclosed this while speaking at the Launching and cheque presentation of N150 MicCom Memorial endowment fund in honour of late Prince Michael and Mrs Comfort Ponle at the Oduduwa hall, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife on Thursday.
While applauding the Ponle family for keeping the family patriarch and matriarch alive through the endowment fund, he said such gesture preserved excellence in academic and discipline in practice.
His words, “First, it promotes academic excellence by supporting bright and deserving engineering students. Second, it strengthens research and innovation, recognising that no nation can develop beyond the depth of its knowledge systems. Third, it bridges the gap between theory and practice, encouraging a stronger alignment between academia and industry. And fourth, it instills leadership and ethical responsibility, ensuring that our engineers are not only skilled but also guided by integrity and a sense of national duty”.
Speaking earlier on behalf of the family, the Managing Director, MicCom, Mrs Bukola Adubi, said the N150million endowment fund in Engineering is not just to preserve the memories of Prince Michael and Mrs Comfort Ponnle, but to offer a platform for training of future engineers and innovators.
She adds, “the endowment seeks to encourage academic excellence and innovation among engineering students. By providing resources to support outstanding students, the endowment will nurture talented individuals with the potential to contribute meaningfully to technological advancement in Nigeria.
“It also aims to promote research and intellectual inquiry within the engineering disciplines. Technological progress depends on continuous learning, experimentation, and discovery. By supporting research initiatives, academic programmes, and scholarly activities, the endowment will help strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for engineering innovation.
“One of the defining aspects of the Ponnles’ legacy was their ability to translate engineering knowledge into practical industrial applications even beyond their death. Through this endowment, students and researchers will be encouraged to engage with real-world technological challenges, fostering a culture where theory and practice reinforce one another”.
Meanwhile OAU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simeon Bamire said the N150million MicCom endowment fund is a visionary investment targeted at driving sustainable development through engineering and innovation.
“This fund will empower us to foster academic excellence through cutting-edge research, provide vital scholarships to deserving students, upgrade facilities, and nurture the next generation of engineers equipped to tackle Nigerias and Africa’s most pressing challenges in technology and infrastructure”, he added.