Beautification Project Of Kings’ College Football Pitch 2007
ADDRESS BY AMINA OYAGBOLA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MTN FOUNDATION AT THE COMMISSIONING OF THE COMPLETED BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT OF KINGS’ COLLEGE FOOTBALL PITCH, ON FRIDAY, 30th NOVEMBER, 2007
Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Your Excellency, Dr. Chistopher Kolade,
The Honourable Minister of Education,
Members of the Lagos State Executive Council,
The Honourable Commissioner of Education Lagos State,
The Principal King’s College & The President of the King’s College Alumni,
Chairman & Directors of the MTN Foundation,
CEO & Executives of MTN Nigeria,
Our partners on this project, Newton & David,
The MTN Foundation Team,
Students of Kings’ College,
Gentlemen of the Press,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am thrilled to be part of today’s landmark event and feel the way inventors and architects must do when they witness the physical, tangible evidence of something that merely began as a thought, idea or vision.
Today’s commissioning of the Kings’ College Football Pitch beautification project is a landmark event because of the historical prominence and significance of this institution in Nigeria. Kings’ College Lagos has as we all know, produced many great Nigerians who have gone on to distinguish themselves in several fields of endeavour. Furthermore, this project represents one of the rare occasions in Nigeria when a corporate organisation has brought solid educational and infrastructural value to bear on an institution like this. Kings’ College is already a beneficiary of the MTN Foundation’s SchoolsConnect program, under which they have received 21 computers along with a server, VSAT Internet connectivity, teacher training and educational content customised to the Nigerian curriculum.
The MTN Foundation’s SchoolsConnect project in Kings’ College and this beautification project reveal our holistic and comprehensive approach to the projects that we undertake. We are committed to improving quality of life, and passionate about renewing hope through structures and systems which will bring societal benefits. We also seek to facilitate partnerships which will further strengthen the existing impact of our projects. A case in point here is our rural telephone project which empowers women to start call centres in their communities. We have created a link between the rural telephone project and the National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA) whom we work with under our health portfolio, towards mitigating the impact of the HIV/AIDS scourge amongst rural women. By the same token, the Foundation has partnered with prominent organisations to improve the educational and physical facilities of this college. This speaks eloquently of the Foundation’s belief in the power of partnerships to increase the impact and sustainability of its social responsibility projects. Indeed our mission is to “partner with private, public and civil society organisations to execute sustainable projects in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment.
Thus, in this beautification project, we have partnered with foremost Nigerian décor and landscaping experts – Newton and David Florists, to transform this football pitch and make it what you see today. The scope of work included clearing debris and weeds from the pitch; growing grass and lining the pitch afresh; constructing posts, nets, corner flags and picket fences and providing MTN branded carts, litter bins amongst several other major tasks. While the work remains ongoing, I commend Newton and David for a job well done.
As we go on to commission this pitch, thereby launching it for use, I urge students of this college to continue to avail themselves of the digital facilities provided by the SchoolsConnect Project because it is clear that the wholesome educational development of today’s youth is inseparable from information technology. Remember that you, more than any of us gathered here, are the true custodians of the bright future we seek for our nation. MTN recognizes your unique role as today and tomorrow’s leaders and assures you of its highest commitment to moving you ahead through its products, services and social responsibility projects.
I thank you all for supporting this project through your various individual efforts as well as collective presence here today. Do enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
God bless Nigeria and God bless us all.