Obafemi Awolowo University Inaugurates N600m ICT Centre

The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has launched a centre of excellence in software engineering built and equipped at a cost of  N600 million ($4m).

 The construction of the N450 million building housing the centre was funded by Skye Bank Nigeria Plc. Procurement and installation of ICT equipment at the centre, valued at $3 million (N450 million), was funded through the Step B/World Bank Project.

 The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bamitale Omole, who inaugurated the centre, said that the mission of the university with regard to ICT was to harness modern technology for effectiveness and efficiency for the benefit of all.

 “The problem of large classes will soon be a thing of the past as lecturers and students can interact real time online,’’ he said.

 He appealed to financial institutions, the private sector as well as the institution’s alumni to take a cue from the gesture of Skye Bank.

 In his remark, the Group Managing Director of Skye Bank, Mr Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti, said that the decision of the bank to build the centre was in line with the organisation’s philosophy.

 “It is our desire to support causes that are of benefit to aid the extension of the frontiers of education.

 “The application of information technology in our education has assumed a more important dimension as it confers several advantages.

 “It is expected that the ICT centre will enhance the operational efficiency of the university,’’ he said.

 Prof. Rowland Ndoma-Egba, Pro Chancellor of the university, commended Skye Bank for the gesture, saying the desire of the university council was to leave the institution better than they met it.

 “With this magnanimity from Skye Bank, the university should maintain its lead in ICT education with a view to developing software that is technologically advanced, but purposely indigenous.

 “OAU is coming to a point where we should be able to produce indigenous computers, IPADs, IPODs and other gadgets to address the realities facing Nigeria,’’ Ndoma-Egba said.

 The facilities at the centre include a tele-presence centre, cloud computing laboratory, software studio and students’ internet access laboratory.

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OAU Student deny flushing own baby

When news spread that Oyinlola Diana Rotimi, a 400 level student at the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, allegedly attempted to flush her child down the toilet, there were criticisms and counter-criticisms.

 This prompted this reporter to unravel the circumstances that led to the incident.

 The Public relations officer of the University, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, in his statement, had debunked the rumour, saying that the lady never intended to terminate the baby’s life but gave birth before due date as she was said to be ignorant of child delivery.

 ”The truth,” the image maker said, “is that there was a delivery of a baby boy by an inexperienced mother who, in her naivety, thought she was pressed by call of nature while she was actually in labour pains.

 ”Prior to the child’s delivery, the young, inexperienced mother was bleeding and went to the toilet only to discover that something expelled into the water closet.

 ”It is overwhelming, it’s unexplainable; I can’t explain it.

 I don’t know how I feel but it’s really great and wonderful.”

 Those were the words of Oyinlola Rotimi, when our correspondent sought to know how she felt about the birth of the baby boy. She said the allegation that she wanted to flush the baby was untrue. ”It is not true at all. It is blatant lie.

 I was purging through out the night and I had no idea what labour pain was.

 Actually, I can’t call it labour pain because I was going to the toilet throughout the night till that fateful morning. ”I went through pain going to the toilet all through the night.

 I went to the toilet that morning to defecate. There was this force that just came out and the baby came out and entered into the closet. I was just there standing and bleeding. 

People came out when they saw blood coming out of the toilet to help me. It was a friend, Satope, who approached the toilet and found the baby that called an elderly cleaner for assistance.

 Oyinlola said she was scared because she was not expecting the baby that day. “Seeing the baby was terrifying because I was not expecting the baby to come out yet.

 She debunked insinuations that she attempted running away when one of the cleaners saw her. 

“That is untrue! Moremi hostel’s toilet is a public place where everybody comes in almost at the same time.

 People were everywhere while I was in the toilet. Just like me, everybody was scared when they saw me and they had to call the cleaner for help because she is an elderly person.

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