Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, has gained a strong foothold in the supply chain research and innovation as a firm, Adebayo Adeleke Limited in conjuction with Supply Chain Africa is set to build a world class research centre worth N5 billion naira ($2.5m) in the institution.
The research and innovation centre, to be housed in the Faculty of Management Sciences Department of Transport Management, will be the first such centre in Nigeria and second in the African continent, according to the donor Mr. Adebayo Adeleke.
The proposed centre generated a lot of excitement on Monday during a brief reception for the management of Adebayo Adeleke Ltd led by its CEO Mr. Adebayo Adeleke at the office of the Vice Chancellor.
“It will go a long way in assisting the university to uppend its research capabilities and linkages,” the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Rasaq Olatunde ROM Kalilu, says.
“By the time they complete the project it will enhance the programme within the faculty, the university and outside,” Architect Adelowo Adeniyi, Head of Architectural Services Unit of Physical Planning Department of the university also submits.
The Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences, Prof Abiola Idowu, also declared in an interview with newsmen, “Myself and the enitire faculty members are excited and happy that we are having this good thing coming to us…So, this place will be the first, and the students will be so proud that at least not only will they enter and work in a lab that is directly associated to their course, so much so they will be able to do this and see things that only are available only to those people that studied abroad so it will have great impact on them.”
This is as Prof Remi Aworemi, Head of Department (Transport Management) enthuses: “Honestly, it is an exciting and highly appreciated project because it is a very good initiative for an individual to be thinking in this direction; it is very rare. When we see people bringing in their resources into research and development of tertiary institutions and the state, we suppose to commend them.”
Prof Kalilu who also disclosed he was excited “receiving” Mr. Adebayo Adeleke, revealed he had been looking forward for such partnership as a result of his plan to “internationalize” the institution.
Insisting his vision is to internationalize the operations of LAUTECH, Prof Kalilu added, during an interview with newmen, “We are trying to reposition the university so as to make positive impact at the global level. So, this supply chain management laboratory will afford the university to have staff and students exchange programmes with other organizations. That is the significance of the gesture by Mr. Adebayo Adeleke.”
