Funmi Ogundare
The Accountancy Alumni Association (1986) of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) has invested about N100 million in rehabilitating and upgrading facilities at the institution, 40 years after graduating from the college.
The legacy project, which focused on the former School of Management and Business Studies, now known as the School of Financial Studies, was recently inaugurated as part of activities marking the association’s 40th anniversary.
The rehabilitation covered accountancy classrooms and a resource centre, as well as windows and doors, plumbing, toilet facilities, drainage, gutters and water infrastructure. The alumni also provided computers, a printer and internet access to support teaching, learning and research.
Speaking at the unveiling, the Chairman of the Governing Council of YABATECH, Prof. Funso Afolabi, said that the project represented “history, friendship, gratitude, reunion and enduring institutional loyalty”. He commended the Class of 1986 for returning four decades after graduation to contribute to the institution’s development and leave a legacy for succeeding generations.
“Forty years is a remarkable milestone. It represents four decades of memories, accomplishments, personal growth and professional contributions by the members of the Class of 1986,” he stated.
He noted that the project demonstrated the alumni’s appreciation for the institution that provided them with the knowledge, skills, discipline, and foundation on which many members built their careers.
The chairman noted that the decision to mark the anniversary with a legacy project went beyond celebration, describing it as a conscious commitment to giving back to the institution. According to him, institutions were strengthened not only through government and management efforts but also through alumni contributions and continued commitment to their development.
“This legacy project will therefore serve as a lasting reminder to present and future students that they are part of a long and proud tradition. It will also inspire them to remember, when their own time comes, that one of the most meaningful ways to honour an institution is to contribute to its progress,” Afolabi said.
He reaffirmed the governing council’s commitment to strengthening the relationship between YABATECH and its alumni, urging the class to sustain its engagement through mentorship and continued support.
In his remarks, the Rector of the college, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, described the project as an investment in the institution’s future and generations yet unborn. He said the alumni had returned not merely as former students but as builders who had turned their gratitude into a practical contribution to their alma mater’s development.
“Forty years after walking through these gates as young men and women determined to master the discipline of accountancy, the class of 1986 has returned as builders. Through this project, you have chosen to invest in the future of your alma mater and in generations yet unborn,” he said.
Abdul said the alumni had transformed their memories and affection for YABATECH into a lasting physical legacy, adding that the project was more than bricks and mortar. He explained that the former School of Management and Business Studies had been restructured as the School of Financial Studies to provide a clearer academic identity and specialised training in finance and related disciplines, while the School of Management and Business Studies would focus on management education, marketing and business leadership.
He called on other alumni sets, corporate organisations and friends of the institution to emulate the Class of 1986 by supporting the development of YABATECH. He also urged staff and students to protect the renovated facilities and ensure that the investment translated into improved academic outcomes.
Earlier, the President of the Accountancy Alumni Association ’86, Mrs Itunu Omotayo, said the legacy project was conceived to ensure that the 40th anniversary celebration went beyond reunion, ceremonies and photographs.
She said members of the set asked themselves what they would leave behind after the anniversary and subsequently committed their resources, expertise, time and networks to rehabilitating the college facility. She said the project represented the culmination of a 40-year journey that began when members entered YABATECH as students in 1981 and graduated in 1986.
“Four decades later, after building careers, raising families and achieving professional milestones in Nigeria and beyond, we returned to the institution with a simple message that encapsulated the essence of our anniversary: We came, we learnt, we left, we grew, and we returned to give back,” she said.
The Chairperson of the 40th Anniversary Committee and Chairman of the Legacy Project, Alhaja Simiatu Shittu, said the project was funded through contributions from members of the set, donors, friends, corporate supporters and professional networks.
She noted that the alumni wanted their 40th anniversary to produce a tangible, lasting benefit for present and future students, urging beneficiaries to make good use of the facilities and the College community to develop a strong maintenance culture.