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The Alakija family – lawyer, Modupe Alakija, and his wife, Folorunsho Alakija, on Tuesday donated a N1 billion building to the Faculty of Law of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, saying the gesture was a testimony to God’s love for their family.
At the inauguration of the building, Modupe Alakija said:
“The building of the facility and its donation is a testimony to God’s faithfulness over my family.
“This building is a testimony of the love and faithfulness of God almighty on my family.
“As a young man, I did not pay much attention to academics, but was involved in drinking and partying to the extent that my father condemned me that I will serve my mates.
“As a matter of fact, I was not so serious with life out of the children in the family.
“Nobody expected anything good out of me.
“But later on, I realised my responsibility to myself first and foremost, and to others.
“I gathered my acts together and went to study law and was called to the bar.
“This surprised everybody.
“I could remember in 1971 while standing in front of a High Court in Lagos, an old friend of mine whom we used to drink together saw me and said: ‘Alakija, when did you become a lawyer? And how?’
“It’s all the grace of God.
“Later on, I met my amiable wife, my pillar and my strength.
“We joined all our resources together with a determination to build up a happy family.
“I eventually worked for eight years in a law firm.
“I wish my father is alive today to see that I am not serving people in an hotel in Ikoyi.”
Alakija ended his speech by singing a hymn: “Blessed assurance.”
The three-storey building, designed by an architect, Mobolaji Adeniyi, houses the entire law faculty consisting of four departments, with offices for lecturers and Head of Departments.