Osinbajo, 500 others inaugurate Alumni UNILAG North America’s Chapter Friday

No fewer than 500 Alumni members of the University of Lagos would converge on the U.S. city of Houston, Texas, on Friday for the formal inauguration of the North America’s chapter.

The convention committee said the first-of-its-kind reunion for former students of the University is expected to be attended by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, an alumnus of the institution.

“We are very proud to have passed through the ‘campus by the lagoon’ and we hope this will be the start of a lasting effort to complement the efforts of the National Association in Nigeria.

“This inauguration is in support of our dear ‘alma mater’ to raise its standard to even loftier heights in the coming years and decades,” the chapter said.

It said the North American chapter was established in 2014 to provide alumni resident in North America a formal platform to support the university in multifarious ways.

According to the committee, the convention is also a most befitting way to introduce the initiative to the wider public.

The convention will be held on Friday and Saturday, and would feature several activities to commemorate the reunion for past students, their families, friends and other well-wishers

“At the moment, the association has a strong and active membership whose geographical presence cuts across at least eight states in the United States and a couple of Provinces in Canada.

“These include the states of Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, New York, Texas, Maryland in the U.S., and the province of Alberta in Canada,” it said.

It added that there were “a couple of thousands of past students of the university” in the U.S. and Canada.

Other dignitaries expected at the event are the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rahmon Bello, former Vice-chancellor Prof. Ibidapo Obe and National President of the University of Lagos Alumni Association, Olorogun Sonny Kuku.

It said the convention, on Friday, would be a session to consider the adoption of its constitution and the election of the first set of substantive officers to lead the alumni chapter.

Guest speakers are Prof. David Olowokere, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Texas Southern University; Dr Vincent Olatunji, Director, Corporate Strategy and Research, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); and Ghaniyat Fajengbesi among others.

The speakers will address the theme of the convention: ‘Digital Economy: Knowledge and Growth Innovation for Sustainable Growth’.

“We hope this will serve as our token effort in helping Nigeria build up its capacity in the emerging field of digital technology to help boost economic productivity and growth,” it said.

According to the committee, the convention would be concluded on Saturday night at a dinner banquet with award presentations to deserving alumni and presenting the newly-elected officers to the public.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to renew our friendships with fellow Akokites resident in the diaspora, particularly in North America,” the committee said.

It said the University of Lagos, founded in 1962, had for over five decades provided qualitative and research-oriented education to Nigerians and all those who have entered its domain in search of knowledge.

“At its inception, the University of Lagos was empowered to produce a professional workforce that would steer the political, social and economic development of a newly independent country.

“Over the last 50 years, the University has pursued the mission with vigour, excellence and panache.

“The University has built a legacy of academic excellence and is now acclaimed publicly as ‘the University of First Choice and the Nation’s Pride’’.