The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole, has challenged professional bodies and blue-chip companies in Nigeria to emulate the kind gesture of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), which recently donated a research building to the University named, “Centre for Linking Accounting with Business of Developing Economies (LABODE)”. Speaking at the Hand-Over Ceremony of the Research Centre, Professor Oyewole enjoined other corporate organisations to follow the generosity of ANAN by supporting the on-going efforts at transforming the nation’s educational sector. “We congratulate ANAN for the history being made today, I believe we are entering into a journey of collaboration that would be of benefit to both our University and ANAN. ANAN is not only donating a building, they are also donating a research centre”, he said. Professor Oyewole called on ANAN to look forward to FUNAAB as its reliable research centre, because this was in line with the vision and mission of the University. He stressed that the quality of a University was not just about buildings but research. “The decision of ANAN to intervene in the area of research is equally commendable. The University appreciates the speed with which this project was completed and the quality of the structure”, he stated. The Vice-Chancellor paid glowing tributes to the leadership of the Association, saying that ANAN was the first of such professional bodies to extend its warm hand of fellowship to the University’s newly-established College of Management Sciences (COLMAS), adding that “we are proud of ANAN”.
“We also need to agree on the modalities of operation and funding of the Research Centre. The University has not made any commitment to appoint a Director for this Centre. We hereby propose to ANAN to institute a Professional Chair, to be funded by ANAN, for the purpose of directing the affairs of the Centre”, the Vice-Chancellor further stated.
The President and Chairman of Council of ANAN, Alhaji Sakirudeen Labode (FCNA), said the Association’s quest to fulfil the mandate of advancing the science of Accountancy and contributing towards the development of the profession, led to the donation of Accountancy books and laboratory equipment to over 40 Universities and polytechnics across the country. He added that, “It was also in furtherance of the mandate that we decided to build this Centre in the FUNAAB”. Alhaji Labode stated that the Research Centre would concentrate on researching into Financial, Accounting and Management needs of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), noting that it was a key sector of the economy that had been neglected over the years.
According to him, “Research areas earmarked for this Centre would be unique. It would service small scale farmers, artisans and traders. We believe that the outcome of researches into these areas would go a long way in proffering solutions to the myriad of challenges confronting them, such as issues bordering on Finance, Management, Accounting and basic Record Keeping”. He commended the University Management for providing the space where the building was situated, adding that both organisations would continue to maintain good relationship.
The new Centre is a storey building, which has a main lecture hall of 120-sitting capacity on the ground floor, a seminar room and two other offices on the upper floor. The building was declared open by the ANAN President and Chairman of Council, Alhaji Sakirudeen Labode.
