..as varsity commissions landmark projects
The Founder and President of Sequoia Holdings, Adesola Adeduntan, has emphasized the need for Islamic leaders in Nigeria to transit from being a spiritual custodianship to assume active leadership in economic development.
He urged the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the Muslim Ummah of South-West Nigeria (MUSWEN), and other Islamic bodies of authority across the country to evolve in response to Nigeria’s economic realities.
Adedutan, a Nigerian banking executive and former CEO of First Bank of Nigeria made the call while delivering the 15th convocation lecture of Fountain University themed “From Faith To Fortune”.
He said, “To our esteemed Islamic leadership – the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), The Muslim Ummah of South-West Nigeria (MUSWEN), and all bodies of authority: You hold a sacred trust. The community looks to you. Your role must now evolve decisively.
“You must move from being custodians of mosques to architects of economies. Use pulpits to celebrate the ethical entrepreneur as a community hero.
“Do not just organize conferences; organize capital calls. Launch the “Ummah Strategic Investment Fund” with transparency and professional management. Create a permanent Council of Economic Ijtihad, where our finest Ulama sit with top economists, tech founders, and industrialists to solve modern problems.”
Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Ramota Karim, announced the commissioning of several landmark projects executed by the institution, adding that projects worth over ₦2.7 billion were implemented in strict alignment with the institution’s Master Plan and long-term strategic growth objectives.
She said, “we will commission several projects executed during this session. I am pleased to report that the University has recorded remarkable progress in infrastructural development, with over ₦2.7 billion invested in capital projects in strict alignment with our Master Plan and strategic growth objectives.
“These include donor-funded landmark projects such as the University Main Gate and Gate House by Mallam (Prof.) Yusuf Olaolu Ali, SAN; a 600-seater ultra-modern auditorium donated by Vice-Admiral (Rtd.) Jubril Ayinla, GCON; a 180-bed male hostel donated by our Pro-Chancellor, Dr. A. W. A. Ibraheem, FCA; a 500-metre internal road network by the Fountain University Patrons Club; two central kitchens donated by the Parents’ Forum; and a 50-seater pavilion by Mr. David Delucia of the United States of America. Complementing these efforts, the University, through Internally Generated Revenue, delivered a 180-bed female hostel, a 400-metre dual-carriage access road, and under construction a state-of-the-art Medical Laboratory Science Complex.”
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