Okogie donates N25m water plant to Augustine varsity
By Mary Obaebor
FORMER Archbishop of the Lagos Diocese, Catholic Church, Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, has donated a water plant valued at over N25 million to Augustine University located at Ilara in Epe area of Lagos State.
Speaking during the inauguration of the water plant, the cleric, who is also the visioner of the university, thanked those who assisted him to donate the water plant and other laudable development in the institution.
He appreciated the proprietor of the institution,who is also the Metropolitan Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, for his fatherly and extraordinary care of the staff and students of the institution.
He also thanked the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Steve Afolami, who first sold the idea of the water plant to the institution.
“Taking a leap from the English proverb that, ‘necessity is the mother of invention’, the institution took the step to proffer a permanent solution to water problem on the campus. It was the need for regular water supply that led us to a water plant.
“As our ace musician Fela Anikulapo would say, ‘Water no get enemy’. It therefore becomes expedient to source for a mean for potable water because it is a basic necessity of life”, Okogie stated.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the BOT of the institution, Sir Steve Omojafor, said the decision to build the water plant arose after seeing students on the campus going round to get drinking water.
Omojafor said the idea started from the school’s Governing Council, saying while seeking for donors, the Cardinal volunteered to sponsor the project which was initially put at N20 million.
Corroborating him, Most Rev. Alfred Martins said the water plant was one of the efforts by the Cardinal to contribute to the development of the university.
He said: “Water is essential but can’t be useful if it is not treated. This is just like how Elijah in the Bible purify water before it could be useful. In Augustine University, we don’t only have purified water but also sanctified water.”
Among those who were recognized as contributors to the university’s development were: Rev. Fr Melchizedek Okpala, Rev. Fr Alexander Oboh, Rev. Fr. Christopher Adeyemi Atoyebi, Prince Joseph Nnamukwu Okeanyanwu and Mr. Stephen Ubule.
Others are Mr. Christopher David Hassan, Mr. Emmanuel Abejeshi Ikwen and other two who are dead, the late Fabian Onyeugo and late George Akutsam.