It could have been a condolence visit but for God – Alumnus, Ade Ogundeyin.

It was a heart felt gratitude cum special visit that the delegation of the Unilag Alumni Association paid to Engr. Ade Ogundeyin, Founder/CEO, Proforce Limited, a leading defense company and makers of military equipment and defense systems.

The delegation which was led by Engr. Dideolu Falobi, FNSE, National Chairman, UNILAG Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association (UNILAGFEAA) consisted of Mrs. Yetunde Abatan (Executive Secretary), Mr. Seun Badejo (Alumni Relations Manager), Dr. Lawrence Osoba (National Secretary, UNILAGFEAA) and Engr. Ayo Ogunnoiki (Chairman, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Lagos Chapter) and Jeremiah Olatinwo (Digital Media Officer, Unilag Alumni).

Immediately after the introduction of the guests, Engr. Ogundeyin asked that a member of the delegation say a word of prayer before going into the business of the day. After which he revealed to them how he was on the airplane that was attacked at the Kaduna airport last Friday and also on the ill-fated Kaduna-Abuja train that was bombed on Sunday.

Sharing his experience at the first encounter he explained that he had disembarked from the airplane moments before the bandits attacked the airport. As for the train, he had alighted after reaching his destination again escaping by divine intervention beacause the attack happened when the train was on its return trip.

He gave glory to The Almighty for His mercies while still praying for the rescue of the kidnapped victims as well as for the repose of the souls of those killed.

Engr. Ogundeyin, a 1985 graduate of UNILAG, started his cleaning company – O’la Kleen Holdings – in 1988 and that when the business wasn’t moving as planned he took on ‘cabu cabu’ (transport) business, plying the Lagos-Ibadan route for 4 years to make ends meet. After breaking even, he established Vaults & Gardens (Private cemetery), Proforce and then Sun Metals (producing iron rods).

He noted that despite the many challenges faced by businesses in Nigeria, he has been able to make it through by God’s grace, policy of uniqueness and excellence and personally getting involved in the day-to-day activities of his business especially at the manufacturing plant at Ota, Ogun State, adding that it takes an ‘abnormal’ person to thrive in the Nigerian environment as a normal Nigerian would give up considering the various difficulties.

In response, Mrs. Yetunde Abatan, hailed Engr. Ogundeyin for his achievements over the years and also commended him for his personal donations to University of Lagos and in particular to some student entrepreneurs of the Faculty of Engineering. She also made a call to him to get actively involved in the Alumni association and be part of the various projects of the Association.

Engr. Dideolu Falobi also gave a brief history of the Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association, and thanked him for his contribution to the project which his set (1985) did in the faculty. He urged him to be a part of the Project Committee to address many of the needs of the faculty.

The meeting ended with the tradition of decorating him with the Alumni badge and photograph session.

The association considers this visit as very significant as it was a coincidental one making it a double for us. However we pray that the nation will come out of the security challenges facing it

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Regina Chris-Ogbodo
Nat. Pub. Sec
#UnilagAlumni