Lagos State University (LASU), Epe Campus, has received a state-of-the-art multipurpose auditorium, courtesy of former Commissioner and veteran public servant, Hon. Olatunji Bello.
EpeInsights reports that the facility, unveiled on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, was described by Bello as a personal legacy project to mark his 60th birthday.
Rather than hosting an elaborate celebration, he redirected goodwill and resources from friends into building the structure, even selling his own property to ensure the project’s completion.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and LASU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, joined other dignitaries at the unveiling ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Bello revealed that the idea for the project originated from his wife, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, before she assumed office as Vice Chancellor of LASU.
“By choosing to invest in the vineyard of knowledge, I believe we are preserving my 60th birthday cake in a way that will be shared and savoured by generations to come,” he said.
Bello disclosed that while a wealthy friend had initially planned to gift him a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser for his birthday, he persuaded the benefactor to convert it into a cash donation to support the auditorium project. Alongside contributions from other friends, the project kicked off in 2021.
However, rising inflation threatened progress, forcing him to sell his Magodo property to prevent the building from becoming abandoned.
The new auditorium comes fully equipped with free WiFi, courtesy of VDT Communications, and will be maintained by a private company for its first year.
Bello urged LASU students to take advantage of the facility, inspiring them to emulate great Nigerian scholars like Wole Soyinka and Chike Obi.
He dedicated the project to God and Lagos State, recalling how the Lagos State Government once sponsored his education through a scholarship at the University of Ibadan in the 1980s.
“This is my little way of giving back,” he said.
