BUA group boss donates N1bn to UI

The Chairman, Bua Group, Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, has donated N1billion to the University of Ibadan to improve critical infrastructure in the institution.

Alhaji Rabiu made the donation  during a courtesy call on the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adebola Babatunde Ekanola, in his office on Thursday.

Alhaji Rabiu, the initiator of AbdulSamad Rabiu Initiative (ASR Africa), represented by the Director, Government Relations, Bua Group, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, said the annual ASR Africa Fund for Social Development and Renewal is an intervention initiative of the AbdulSamad Rabiu Initiative for Africa (ASR Africa) targeted at impactful and sustainable interventions in  social development, health and  education in Africa.

He added that all interventions fall within these three areas, stressing that the donation is made to the “University of Ibadan in recognition of the quality services delivered by your institution and the pedigree of graduates nationally and internationally.”

Dr. Hong said: “AbdulSamad Rabiu Initiative (ASR) is a foundation that was established by Alhaji AbdulSamad Rabiu towards giving back to the society. The Chairman and Founder of this initiative is a very patriotic Nigerian and he believes in the development of Nigeria.

 “After working very diligently and very hard as a business man, he deemed it fit to give back to the society, where he would improve the quality of life of Nigerians and Africans.

“In this direction, he has set aside annually, a continuous $100million grant for sustainable development, health and education intervention in Nigeria and Africa. As a first tranche of this endowment, $50million has been set aside specifically for Nigeria’s intervention and another $50million has been set aside for the rest of Africa.

“These interventions will be in the areas of education, health and social development. And part of this has already been committed. N6bn has been allocated to six premier universities; one per geo-political zone in the country that would benefit towards augmenting their resources and intervening in their area of need to improve the quality of the services they render in their institutions.”

The Acting VC, in accepting the donation, thanked the Chairman of AbdulSamad Rabiu Initiative and the entire Group for the wonderful intervention in a statement by the University’s Director of Public Communication, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo.

He said “The donation will go a long way in empowering the University to be more efficient and effective in its activities that are related to teaching, research and community service.”

Prof. Ekanola further said the donation will empower the institution to train its students for global relevance and competitiveness.

He told the benefactor that the University of Ibadan is an high-ranking world-class institution with a vision for sustainable development of the society, saying that the University looks for a continuous relationship with ASR Initiative.