By Maduka Nweke
Students of the Estate Management Department of University of Lagos, Class of 2001 recently celebrated their 20th Anniversary in style.
At the ceremony, the Estate Surveyors & Valuers were reminded of the onerous role they must play in influencing government’s policies towards reducing the high housing deficit in the country.
The Chairman Organising Committee for the 2001 Class Set Estate Management Department Alumni Association of the University of Lagos, Wale Afolabi, stated this at a dinner in Lagos, recently.
Afolabi said: “Without a fragment of a doubt, we know what the challenges are in our nation so as professional Estate Surveyors & Valuers, we must brace ourselves for further individual successes, not jettisoning our role in ensuring that we influence the government to reduce the deplorable housing deficit in Nigeria.
According to him, “Our people should not be living in slums, the dignity of life must be preserved and up-held in our nation and we all must continue to use our various influences positively in this regard.”
The Class of 2001, he said, also had plans for the former department, stating that, “As much as we are thinking big, we are starting small. This for us will be a marathon and not a sprint. We have raised funds and we will be presenting much needed gifts to the Estate Management Department of University of Lagos, Our Alma mater!
The Anniversary held on the 11th December, 2021 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, described as a resound- ing success, was an event to celebrate twenty years of their strive towards attainment of excellence in their professional careers after the unique privilege of being trained by the most prestigious department of the most prestigious university in the country .
Resounding tributes were made to their esteemed lecturers that were invited to the event and they were all presented with honorary awards for their contributions to the Estate Management Department over the last 20years.
Chairman of the planning committee, Wale Afolabi, in a speech noted that with- out a fragment of doubt, we know what the challenges are in our nation so as professional Estate surveyors & Valuers, we must brace our- selves for further individual successes and must not jettison our role in ensuring that we influence government to reduce the deplorable housing deficit in Nigeria.
It was a night of celebration ending with granting academic scholarship awards to four students with high GPAs currently studying Estate Management at the University. The grants will also be given to 2 outstanding students annually.
In response to the kind gesture by the Estate Management Alumni, the lecturers represented by Professor Omirin Modupe, the current Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Prof Babawale- HOD Estate Management Department, they expressed their gratitude to the 2001 set for giving back to their Alma Matters stating that Class of 2001 is the first set to give back to the department and specifically expressed their gratitude for the scholarship awarded to the 4 hardworking indigent students to cover their university education till graduation.
In addition to the scholarships awarded, The Alumni also donated various Equipment and supplies to the departmental office with a promise to also support to renovate the MSc classroom.
