By Friday Idachaba in Lokoja.
The family of the late Engr. Joseph Oyeyani Makoju has donated a state-of-the-art 250-seat lecture theatre to the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) as part of its commitment to education and humanity.
Dr. Mrs. Gladys Makoju, head of the Engr. Joseph Oyeyani Makoju Foundation and matriarch of the family, officially handed over and dedicated the facility at the university’s permanent site in Felele on Sunday.
She noted that the donation was a significant contribution to education and was timed to coincide with the birthday of their late son, Enesi Makoju, an investment banker and housing finance specialist who passed away in February.
Dr. Mrs. Makoju also announced the establishment of awards and grants, including an annual prize for the Best Female Student in Science and Technology, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
She added that a rolling grant would sponsor one Ph.D. student per year, alongside separate awards for the Best Performing Girl in Engineering (AI) and students in STEM fields and assured that sufficient funds had been allocated for these initiatives.
The Vice-Chancellor of FUL, Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, while unveiling the ultra-modern lecture theatre, expressed deep appreciation to the Makoju Foundation, noting that the facility would enhance the quality of education at the institution.
“We, members of the University Community, remain eternally grateful to the Makoju family for initiating this project in April 2024 and completing it successfully. We will ensure its judicious use in advancing academic excellence,” Akinwumi said.
In his goodwill message, Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, commended the philanthropic gesture of the Makoju family. Represented by the State Security Adviser, Jerry Omodara, the governor described the lecture theatre as a lasting legacy and encouraged others to emulate such acts of generosity.
The late Enesi Makoju,who passed away on February 25, 2025, at the age of 50, had performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the lecture theatre alongside his mother on July 14, 2024.
He had intentionally scheduled the event to coincide with his father’s posthumous 76th birthday.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
