The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq at the weekend promised to partner the Thomas Adewunmi International College (TAICO) in the area of entrepreneurship.
AbdulRazaq said this when he attended the school’s 2019 graduation ceremony during which he also toured the school’s expansive plantation.
“I promised in my manifesto to promote enterprise. This is a good example of it. I had been depressed by what I had been seeing during my inspection of government institutions but my visit to this place, along with what I have seen, has lifted my spirit,” he said.
Abdulrazaq lauded the communal spirit of the school’s founder, Dr Thomas Adewumi, saying: “You are building a huge community here. But you are not just doing this for Oko community, you are attracting investments from other institutions.
“You are a serious entrepreneur and we shall partner with you.”
The Governor who was the special guest at the graduation programme of the school later inspected the new Thomas Adewumi University, Oko, in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.
He said, “Kwara used to be number one in northern Nigeria; now Kaduna has overtaken us. Long term planning is essential and that is what we are doing,” he said.
The Governor commended the entrepreneurial accomplishments of Dr. Adewumi, the Asiwaju of Oko Irese and Founder of TAICOwhose vision Abdulrazaq said matches that of his administration.
Dr Adewunmi, on his part, thanked the Governor for the visit which he described as a first in the school’s history.
“It is a new dawn of leadership in Kwara. You are the first Kwara governor to come here. We are highly honoured, we are praying for you so that the story of Kwara will be rewritten for good,” Adewunmi said.
He told the governor about the exploits of TAICO students and the international standard of its teaching staff.
He praised the government’s pledge to create enabling environment for enterprise, saying the policy would improve internally generated revenue for the state.
Dignitaries at the event included former chief justice of Nigeria, Alfa Belgore; royal fathers led by the Olomu of Omu Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti; Senator Simeon Ajibola; Hon. Abdulraheem Adewuyi (Ajuloopin); Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin; Alhaji Yinka Aluko among others.
