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The Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Accountancy Alumni Association (YCTACC) class of 86 set has handed over to the college management renovated School of Management and Business Studies (SMBS) as part of its 40th anniversary graduation.
The SMBS building was described by the YCTACC ‘86 set as a “Legacy Project” and put the cost of renovation at N100million.
The hand over ceremony, YABATECH Rector, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, said the college Governing Council has approved the renaming of SMBS to School of Financial Studies (SFS).
The President of YCTACC ‘86, Mrs. Itunu Omotayo, said the set decided to give back to the college, thus the birth of the legacy project.
The YCTAC ’86 set returned to its alma mater 40 years after graduation and handed over about N100 million renovated and upgraded SMBS building to the management.
The legacy project, which involved the rehabilitation of the School of Management and Business Studies, now renamed as the School of Financial Studies, was commissioned as part of activities marking the alumni association’s 40th anniversary.
The project has transformed key facilities within the building, including Accountancy classrooms and a resource centre, with improvements covering windows and doors, plumbing, toilet facilities, drainage, gutters and water infrastructure, as well as the provision of computers, a printer and internet access to support teaching, learning and research.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Chairman of the Governing Council of YABATECH, Prof. Funso Afolabi, described the occasion as more than the commissioning of a physical project, saying it represented “history, friendship, gratitude, reunion and enduring institutional loyalty.”
He commended the class of 1986 for returning to the institution four decades after graduation to leave behind a legacy that would continue to benefit succeeding generations.
His words: “Forty years is a remarkable milestone. It represents four decades of memories, accomplishments, personal growth and professional contributions by the members of the class of 1986.”
Afolabi added that the project was a tangible demonstration of the alumni’s appreciation for the institution that provided them with knowledge, skills, discipline and the foundation upon which many had built successful careers and meaningful lives.
He said the decision to commemorate the anniversary through a legacy project was particularly commendable because it went beyond celebration to demonstrate a conscious commitment to giving back to the institution.
According to him, the Governing Council and Management appreciated the gesture, noting that institutions were strengthened not only through government and management efforts but also through the contributions of those who had passed through them and remained committed to their development.
“This legacy project will therefore serve as a lasting reminder to present and future students that they are part of a long and proud tradition. It will also inspire them to remember, when their own time comes, that one of the most meaningful ways to honour an institution is to contribute to its progress,” Afolabi stated.
Earlier, the Rector of YABATECH, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, described the project as an investment in the future of the college and generations yet unborn.
Abdul said the class of 1986 had returned to the college not merely as former students but as “builders” who had chosen to convert their gratitude into a practical contribution to the development of their alma mater.
He stated: “Forty years after walking through these gates as young men and women determined to master the discipline of accountancy, the class of 1986 has returned as builders. Through this project, you have chosen to invest in the future of your alma mater and in generations yet unborn.”
The college helmsman praised the alumni for transforming their memories and affection for YABATECH into a lasting physical legacy.
“You have converted memory into monument, affection into architecture and loyalty into lasting impact. This project is more than bricks and mortar; it is a statement that Yabatech’s greatest asset remains her children who refuse to forget her,” he noted.
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The rector disclosed that the former School of Management and Business Studies had been restructured as the School of Financial Studies to provide a clearer academic identity and specialised training in finance and related disciplines, while the School of Management and Business Studies would focus on management education, marketing and business leadership.
Abdul said the gesture by the alumni reflected the enduring values of YABATECH, particularly the principle that success should be measured not only by what individuals take away from an institution but also by what they bring back.
He consequently called on other alumni sets, corporate organisations and friends of the college to emulate the class of 1986 by supporting institutional development.
The rector also charged staff and students who would use the renovated facilities to protect them and ensure that the sacrifice behind the project translated into improved academic outcomes.
Meanwhile, the President of the Accountancy Alumni Association ’86, Mrs. Itunu Omotayo, explained that the legacy project was conceived to ensure that the 40th anniversary celebration went beyond reunion, ceremonies and photographs.
She said members of the set had asked themselves what they would leave behind after the anniversary celebration and subsequently committed their resources, time, expertise and networks to the rehabilitation of the College facility.
The extensive rehabilitation included work on windows and doors, plumbing, toilet facilities, gutters, drainage and water infrastructure, while the Accountancy classrooms and resource centre were refurbished and equipped with modern computers, a printer and internet access.
For the class of 1986, the project, she said, represents the culmination of a 40-year journey that began when members entered YABATECH as young students in 1981 and graduated in 1986.
“Four decades later, after building careers, raising families and achieving professional milestones in Nigeria and beyond, we returned to the institution with a simple message that encapsulated the essence of our anniversary: “We came, we learnt, we left, we grew, and we returned to give back;” she stated.
The Chairperson of the 40th Anniversary Committee and Legacy Project, Alhaja Simiatu Shittu, said the project was valued at approximately N100 million and was made possible through contributions from members of the set, donors, friends, corporate supporters and professional networks.
Shittu described the project as a demonstration of gratitude to an institution that had provided the foundation for the professional and personal journeys of members of the set.
According to her, the alumni wanted their 40th anniversary to produce a tangible and lasting benefit for present and future students.
She advised the students to make good use of the facilities and challenged the college community to develop a strong maintenance culture.
The President, YABATECH Alumni Association, Otunba Yemi Osibajo, commended the YCTACC 86 for executing a project worth N100million.
Osibajo challenged other sets to emulate the YCTACC 86 set with laudable projects as a give back to the college for nurturing them to what they are today.
He revealed that the main association has asked the different sets to pick a project and execute it as their contribution to their alma mater.
“The legacy project is not for 86 set alone to celebrate but the entire Alumni Association. We are waiting to harvest the various class sets projects as a give back to the college,” Osibajo noted.
The event culminated in the symbolic presentation of the legacy project key to the college leadership, formally handing over the rehabilitated facilities to YABATECH, commissioning of the building and unveiling of the plaque with the roll calls of names of all the set by class President.
