By Adedayo Adejobi
The Unilag Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association, recently held its first Annual General Meeting and Second Alumni lecture delivered by Engineer Dideolu Falobi, the Managing Director of Kresta Laurel Limited, a leading indigenous company in the fields of elevators, escalators and cranes.
While addressing the topic, ‘Alumni Association: A veritable tool for networking and promotion of professionalism’, Falobi described networking, networking skills and networking platforms such as the alumni association, a very critical need for businessmen and professionals. He added that, networking facilitates and enhances individual and business success.
Driving home his point he gave case studies of working alumni associations, mentioning Stanford University, USA, which top the list of TOP 50 Alumni Networks and Methodist High School, Ilesa.
Falobi, a proud alumnus of Unilag and the National President of the Old Students Association, Methodist High School, Ilesa highlighted some of the association phenomenal achievements as: re-commissioning a total of about 40 classrooms which was completely refurbished at a cost of about N70million, Commissioning and handing over to the school an Olympic standard basketball court by the 1977 set, Sponsored Inter- house Sports Competitions in addition setting up, and supporting different school clubs such as Man-O-War, Drama club and so on, payment of security men salary, monetary awards to 42 brilliant students by the 1985 set, Support for teachers and motivation including sponsored trainings and e-library, astronomical Observatory and laboratory, set of ultra- modern toilets and a table tennis hall donated by the Old students/sets are under construction while the Physics and Chemistry Laboratories are being refurbished.
His modest contributions and supports have earned him numerous awards and titles as he was recently installed as the Bobajiro of Ilesa by Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba (Dr.) Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, CFR.
While speaking on the state of the nation, he advised the government to concentrate on other tangible and intangible alternatives such as agriculture, industrialisation/
He identified some major challenges that affect our choice of political leaders with the right values as: apathy to party membership/registration for elections/voting on election day, violence and huge cost of electioneering.
He said, “When I started my Stop complaining, take action campaign, most of my relatives, friends and loved ones appealed to me not to get involved in politics even though they acknowledge that I would be a good material (I hope so). How long will this continue?†Folabi however, challenged the guests to use every means possible to mobilise fellow citizens to register and vote, campaign against violence in our electoral system and also advocate for the enforcement of rules guiding the funding for election as well as disbursement.
Similarly, he shared thoughts on Mr. Ganobi Obinna’s six-page letter that has been forwarded to the Body of Deans of Faculty of Engineering in Universities, The Chairman Board of Fellows, the President of NSE and the President of COREN. He thanked everybody present for their rapt attention, the Faculty and Board of Trustee of the Alumni for the honour, whilst charging everybody to donate generously to the funding of the association.
Dignitaries in attendance were: Vice Chancellor, UNILAG – Prof Toyin Ogundipe, Worldwide President, UNILAG Alumni, – Olor’ogun Dr. Sunny Kuku, UNILAG ENGR. Alumni BOT Chairman- Otunba Engr. (Dr.) Oye Eribake, Former VC, UNILAG – Distinguished Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo Obe, Former VC, UNILAG – Prof. Rahman Bello, Prof. Ayo Ogunye, Prof. Kupolokun, Dean of Engineering – Prof. Falade and Rector, YABATECH.
