Christy Anyanwu
One of the nation’s philanthropic and Africa’s riches woman, Mrs. Folorunso Alakija, recently donated skills acquisition centre to Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) to equip the students with skills.
The event attracted guests among them were members of YABATECH academic community, Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN), students and a host of others. It was a landmark programmes thus the presence of the rector and the Africa’s richest woman, Mrs. Folorunso Alakija.
Alakija and her staffs had come to YABATECH to commission a skills acquisition centre she built and donated to the college.
In his address, the Rector of the college, Mr. Femi Omokungbe, praised Mrs. Alakija for her philanthropic efforts which saw her donate the skills acquisition centre to the institution. He added that her gesture would go a long
way to improving the lives of the youths and also in enhancing nation building.
READ ALSO: Excitement as Lions Club medical outreach visits Anthony
‘’Nigeria needs technical colleges where her youths can learn vocations; of course one can work on their own but in recent times, we have seen that those who are suppose to go to technical colleges are riding okada and keke Marwa in Nigeria.
“You can no longer find artisans on the streets of Nigeria. That is killing our economy. But with this Mrs Alakija’s gesture, the future of our youths will now be secured as they now have a golden opportunity of learning one vocation or the other at this centre,’ he stated.
Omokungbe implored other well to-do Nigerians to emulate Mrs Alakija in order to make the country great and a better nation everybody would be proud of. Stressing the importance of technical education in nation- building, the rector urged Nigerians to emulate other nations like
Bulgaria where special importance is attached to training of students in technical skills.
Speaking on the occasion, Alakija disclosed that she built the centre to ensure that many youths have access to skills acquisition in various vocations which can help them to be self employed.
“Empowerment through skills acquisition equals to prosperity. Mark you, prosperity doesn’t come overnight, it comes through determination; it comes through diligence; it comes through doggedness. You can’t be sleeping in your house and say it is raining today, it is cold today, there would be a lot of traffic. If we look for all sorts of excuses that means that person is not ready to make progress or prosper. There is no alternative to handwork, and perseverance,” she declared.
Highlighting various skills which can be acquired at the centre she said: “Skills can be acquired in millinery, that is hat making; beads making is also available. There will also be training in pedicure and manicure, barbing, shoe making, welding and fabrication and a host of others.”
She also thanked the rector for choosing her as the co-ordinator of the activities of the fellows of Yabatech.
“The skills acquisition centre is the first step and I believe that together all the friends of this great institution would put our heads together and put our joint efforts in place so that Yaba College of Technology will always be a force to be reckon with in this country.”