Raham Bello, others launch N20bn endowment fund for alma mater 

Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Raham Bello and other eminent former students of Yewa (Egbado) College, Ilaro, Ogun State have launched a N20 billion Endowment Fund in support of infrastructural development in the college.

Speaking on the occasion that held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, the National President of YECOSA, Architect Olaniyi Dasaolu, said it was a way of giving back to the school that shaped their lives.

“The college is 75 years old. It has come a long way and has produced great men and women. The college was the first to be established in the whole of Yewaland and we felt that celebrating this milestone would not be complete without a programme like this.

It is not that the old students have not been part of the development of the school. A lot of things are being done at individual or set level. “We understand that the state government cannot do everything.

“It is the one engaging and recruiting teachers and others and we are also supporting with this fund to make significant intervention in the area of infrastructure,”he said.

Dasaolu commended old boys and girls for their support for the association and the school.  The Chairman of the Planing Committee, Mr Ashirudeen Adelowo Maliki, said effort to launch the fund started about a year ago.

“The plan to launch the fund did not start today, we started contacting people and corporate bodies over a year ago.

Today’s event is just a public presentation of what we planned. I am encouraged and happy with the responses so far and our intervention would go a long way in taking our great college to higher pedestal,” he noted.

Prof. Bello, in his remarks, opined that the impact of the school in the lives of the old students was tremendous.

“The school helped us to become total boys and girls. We were all rounders. Apart from sound academic instructions, we also engaged in extra curricular activities.

The discipline was top notch and everybody knew what to do at the right time. There is no gain saying the fact that schools need the support of their old students and also there is need for them to serve as encouragement to current students,” he said.

On whether the standard and quality of education has gone down, Bello said in their days, the number of students was low and facilities not overwhelmed as they are now, but called on all stakeholders to rise to the occasion.

The current Principal of the school, Mr Masanwo Sunday Adegbemiga, expressed joy at the intervention by the old students.

“I must say that the old students have been of great assistance to the college. As individuals and sets, they have done a lot for the college and this initiative is a great one.

It would help to upgrade some facilities in the school. A school that is about 75 years old would surely need some upgrade. We also appreciate the attention and support of the state government,” he said.

The Commissioner for Education, Ogun State, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, lauded the contributions of the old students to their alma mater.

He added that the state government would always appreciate any effort at complementing its role in providing quality education for the citizens in conducive atmosphere.