Sanwo-Olu Unveils LASU Auditorium Donated by FCCPC Vice Chairman Olatunji Bello

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday inaugurated a newly constructed 550-seater Multi-Purpose Auditorium at Lagos State University’s (LASU) Epe Campus. The facility was donated by the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Olatunji Bello, and his wife.

Describing the structure as “a testament to vision, commitment, and the enduring value of giving back to society,” Sanwo-Olu praised the former Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Secretary to the State Government for his longstanding contributions to the development of the state.

“This modern facility is more than just a building; it is a beacon of knowledge, creativity, and intellectual engagement,” the governor said. “What we are witnessing here today perfectly aligns with our vision for a greater Lagos — a Lagos where government, institutions, and private citizens join hands to advance education and empower the next generation.”

The auditorium is designed to serve as a hub for academic, cultural, and strategic events within the university. Sanwo-Olu commended Bello’s dedication, saying, “Honourable Bello, a distinguished journalist, lawyer, and public servant, together with his wife, has continued to leave a legacy of service and philanthropy, and today’s commissioning further cements that legacy.”

In his remarks, Bello said the initiative was his way of supporting public education infrastructure. “This is my humble way of supporting the argument that public purpose is served better by helping public universities fill the infrastructural gap,” he said. “Private individuals who really have the means should invest in public tertiary education to create more opportunities, as is prevalent in several developed countries.”

He added, “This auditorium is my own token of appreciation to God Almighty for His grace and to my dear native Lagos State for the great opportunities given to me. I was once a beneficiary of the Lagos State government’s scholarship award as an undergraduate at the University of Ibadan in the early 1980s and later had the privilege to serve in various public offices.”

LASU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, who is also the wife of the donor, described the project as a “symbolic expression of his commitment to educational advancement.”

“Beyond my steadfast support throughout my four-year tenure as Vice Chancellor, my dear husband, Tunji Bello, has taken the additional step of making a public stake investment in our future through the magnificent auditorium,” she said.

She also highlighted Bello’s consistent support for students, noting, “This donation complements his annual N100,000 endowment prize for each of the best graduating students in the Faculties of Engineering, Sciences, Mass Communication, Law, and MBBS degree examinations at our convocations in the past 14 years.”