: Kayode Olanrewaju 
The Class of 1985 alumni of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) is set to commission a three storey building donated to the faculty.
The Dean of the Faculty, Prof Emenike Ejiogu, said that the building would be commissioned as part of the activities lined up to commemorate the 20th Herbert Macaulay Memorial Lecture series to be hosted by the Faculty between May 3 and 4, 2024.
Ejiogu, who lauded the Class, fondly referred to as The Agbebi ‘85 Set for their forthrightness in giving back to their alma mater, noted that the alumni of the Faculty of Engineering have been exemplary in their commitment to improving infrastructure and development of the faculty.
“We are grateful to the Agbebi 85 Class and other alumni of our faculty, who have made significant contributions to give our faculty a facelift,” he said. According to the Dean, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Terlumun Utsev, who is an alumnus of the faculty, will be the Chairman of the 20th Herbert Macaulay Memorial Lecture.
Speaking on the essence of the building, a representative of the Agbebi 85 Class, Major General Okechukwu Ugo (rtd), described the building was their little way of giving back to their alma mater, stating that God has uniquely blessed members of the class in their different fields of endeavours.
“The motivation for building the edifice stems from a deep seated belief in giving back to the source that ignited the transformative power of education which showed us the way,” he said, recalling that the groundbreaking ceremony of the building was performed by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Charles Igwe in October 2020 while the building complex was completed within a period of three years.
According to Retired General Ugo, the building comprises three large classrooms on the ground floor and 12 lecturers’ offices on the first floor and an open (convertible) multipurpose hall on the third floor.
He added that the building also houses adequate sanitary conveniences on each floor with a constant water supply scheme, even as he stated that the classrooms were adequately equipped to support different teaching methodologies, including interactive seminars and the traditional teaching method. Ugo, however, expressed confidence that the comfort offered by the building would go a long way in helping to restore the academic excellence, dignity and intellectual prowess of staff and students of the university.
