Old students of defunct Saint Andrew’s College of Education, former Oyo State College of Education, and former Emmanuel Alayande College of Education have launched a consolidated alumni body on the platform of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, to which the institution was upgraded.
The official launch of the integrated alumni association on Tuesday, which also featured the first Annual Alumni Lecture, drew old students from home and abroad, including dignitaries from education, business and politics.
Speaking at the occasion, the national president of the Emmanuel Alayande University of Education Alumni Association, Comrade Kola Amole, stated that the meeting became necessary as a reunion process to integrate all the old students of the institution since its establishment in 1896.
He said the first annual alumni lecture was organised to intimate members with their responsibilities towards the growth and development of their alma mater.
According to him, the membership of the integrated alumni association would focus on sincere interaction with one another to foster unity, help each other in their professional undertaking, give back to the institution, as well as to be good role models to the new students.
Comrade Amole urged governments at all levels to invest more in educational development and improve the teaching and learning environment for both teachers and students.
Speaking at the event, the vice chancellor, Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Professor Olanrewaju Olaniyan, expressed delight for the establishment of the alumni association, describing the development as apt.
While assuring the alumni of the university’s support, he urged them to participate in the physical and capacity building of the university.
Professor Olaniyan also commended the state governor, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde, for the rapid development of education in Oyo State and for upgrading the college into a university.
Professor Sola Owonibi from Texas Southern University Houston, Texas, who delivered the maiden alumni lecture on the topic ‘Bridging the town and gown: Alumni Association and University System in Unpredictable World’, emphasised the place of alumni in the development of education, especially at the tertiary level.
According to him, alumni associations have the ethical duty to not only give back to their universities, but also to continuously engineer the town and gown nexus for the sustainable development of both communities.
He described alumni associations as stakeholders to stimulate positive town and gown relationships with an intent to provide scholarships to reduce exponential tuition in the institution.
Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Salihu Adelabu, represented by Dr Tunde Aremu, described the establishment of an alumni association in Alayande University of Education as a development that would further boost development of the instruction.