OAU engineering faculty gets N150m support from family of MicCom founders
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
The engineering faculty of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has received a N150 million boost following the establishment of a MicCom Endowment for Engineering Development by the family of the late Engr. Michael and Engr. (Mrs) Comfort Ponnle.
The deceased were founders of MicCom Cables and Wires Ltd, Nigeria’s first indigenous cable manufacturing company, and MicCom Golf Centre, Ada, in Osun State.
Speaking at the presentation and inauguration of the endowment fund held at the Oduduwa Hall of the institution, Mrs Bukola Adubi, CEO of MicCom Cables & Wires Ltd and daughter of the deceased, said on behalf of the family that the fund was established to immortalise the legacy of the late Ponnles and provide a lasting platform for the development of future generations of engineers.
Adubi explained that the endowment aims to encourage academic excellence among engineering students, promote research and intellectual inquiry within the engineering disciplines, bridge the gap between academia and industry, as well as foster leadership and professional responsibility among beneficiaries.
In his address, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, praised the Ponnle family for the thoughtful and visionary initiative, saying, “By choosing to invest in education and future generations, you have ensured that the legacy of your parents will not be confined to history but will remain a living force.”
Adeleke assured that his administration remains committed to policies and partnerships that strengthen education, support innovation and encourage private sector participation for positive development.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Simeon Bamire, said the fund will empower the university to foster academic excellence through cutting-edge research, provide vital scholarships to deserving students, upgrade facilities, and nurture the next generation of engineers equipped to tackle Nigeria and Africa’s most pressing challenges in technology and infrastructure.
Bamire appreciated the Ponnle family for their earlier generosity at the last convocation, where they instituted an annual financial award in honour of Engr. (Mrs) Comfort Olufunke Ponnle, comprising one million naira for the best overall graduating student in the faculty of technology and ten million naira to the department that produced the student.
