UI GETS GIGANTIC DONATION FROM OTUNBA BALOGUN.

Fund raising efforts of the Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole led administration yielded bountifully recently when a multi-billion naira Otunba Tunwase National Pediatric Centre (OTNPC) was handed over to the University of Ibadan (UI) by the founder, Otunba Michael Olasubomi Balogun.

The hospital, situated on a 50 acre piece of land along the Sagamu-Benin Express way, Ijebu Ode, was built in 1994 to commemorate the 60^th birthday of the benefactor which has been upgraded to a tertiary referral center for teaching, research and health care delivery for infants and children.

At a colourful hand-over ceremony which attracted the UI Management team, College of Medicine and medical personnel, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun explained that he decided to donate the Center to UI for management and control as his own contribution to the development of health care delivery in the country.

Otunba Balogun who disclosed that he spent Five Million Naira (N5million) monthly for the management of the Center stated that he considered UI as the most appropriate institution to inherit the Center following the pedigree of the Nigeria premier university.

He said the Center which has various structure including accommodation, 10 incubators, two bore holes, operating Theater unit among others was being under utilized as the available facilities could better be maximized by UI.

Responding, the elated Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole who described the donation as one of the biggest and the largest donations since UI was established in 1948 said Nigerians were beginning to embrace the culture of philanthropy which he said would go a long way to assist public institutions.

Prof. Adewole promised that UI would live up to expectation by protecting the Center and maximizing its capacity, adding that the benefactor is bequeathing to the coming generations an enduring legacy.