The Rotary International District 9111 has donated a Peace Institute to the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, in a move aimed at strengthening peacebuilding, conflict resolution and leadership development.
The institute was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, with the Ogun State Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, describing the project as a major addition to the state’s educational infrastructure and a boost to the university’s capacity for civic engagement.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Salako-Oyedele said the institute would provide a platform for dialogue, conflict prevention, mediation, civic education and community development, while expanding the university’s role beyond conventional teaching.
She noted that the project reflected Rotary’s commitment to its motto, “Service Above Self,” and commended the organisation for its consistent support for development initiatives in Ogun State.
According to her, Rotary has remained a dependable partner of the state government through interventions in healthcare, community empowerment and peacebuilding.
She added, “With the Rotary Peace Institute, Olabisi Onabanjo University now has another significant facility that can support dialogue, conflict prevention, mediation, civic education and community development, expanding its frontiers beyond conventional teaching to leadership development.”
The deputy governor urged graduates of the institute’s Cohorts Three and Four to apply the knowledge acquired by becoming advocates of peace, dialogue and constructive conflict resolution in their communities.
She also praised the Rotary District Governor, Prince Henry Akinyele, for spearheading the initiative, assuring that the Ogun State Government would continue to embrace partnerships that promote education, peace, healthcare and social development.
The Vice-Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Abosede Oderinde, described the donation as a remarkable act of educational philanthropy.
Agboola said the university was particularly encouraged by Rotary’s commitment not only to constructing the institute but also to funding monthly honoraria for its tutors.
He said the facility would help produce a new generation of professionals equipped with skills in conflict mediation and prevention, assuring that the university would ensure proper maintenance and effective utilisation of the institute.
Earlier, Rotary District 9111 Governor, Prince Henry Akinyele, explained that the institute was conceived by the district’s immediate past governors to equip participants with practical skills in peace promotion, mediation and conflict prevention through education.
Akinyele reiterated Rotary’s commitment to community service and educational development, noting that the institute would contribute to fostering peaceful coexistence across communities.
The event also featured the presentation of certificates to the first graduates of the institute’s three-month peace programme, while the deputy governor received an award in recognition of her support for Rotary’s initiatives in Ogun State.
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