The University’s Zoological Garden Park has flagged-off a policy which will allow donors and sponsors support the growth and development of the Park towards ensuring satisfactory service delivery.

The Acting Director, FUNAAB Zoological Garden, Dr. Oladapo Oduntan made this disclosure during an official presentation of Signage by an Alumnus of the University, Engr. Bola Mudasiru who is also the Managing Director of Polarank Nigeria Limited and a PhD student  of Highway and Traffic Engineering in FUNAAB.

            According to him, Engineer Mudasiru, the donor of the Signage, came to visit the Zoo and saw a gap he could feel and was given the approval to go ahead.

According to him, “We have to celebrate and appreciate one of our donors, the very first since I became the Acting Director  of FUNAAB Zoo Park. 

‘           He came at a time we are commencing a new policy of sourcing and building sponsors for our inmates in the Zoo Park and he showed interest. We looked into it and he decided to provide Signage for all our animals. So we feel it is right to celebrate him and let the University Community and the whole world know that we still have people that  are still interested in nature conservation, and coincidentally he is our former student’, he stated.

Speaking on the reason for the policy, Dr. Oduntan noted that Government support for Zoos and Parks is no longer sustainable because of the needs and finances attached, so it is the standard practice even in developed countries for conservative Institutions to be primarily managed through donations and sponsors.

He added that, things can be better if finances are available, stating that,” the

University has a pair of lion which they have been unable to bring into the Zoo for some years now, because of the expensive nature of the enclosure which will house the lions, and since we have started now we will finish everything in the shortest  possible time, and this will increase the number of our visitors and the kind of amusement and recreation people will get from the Park”.

            Dr Oduntan further stated that the University not only stands to gain from the growth and development of the Zoo Park but the students, the entire University Community and even the visitors.

            According to him, ” the University stands to gain a lot because what we do is teaching and research and that is the number one objective of the Park, by this Signage for example anybody who is visiting the Zoo now will not only hear the name of the animal but will also see other details such as the obligatory system of the animals”.

Speaking after the donation, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development) Prof Clement Adeofun commended the kind gesture of Engineer Mudasiru to the University through the University Zoological Park.

            Prof. Adeofun who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kolawole Salako at the event expressed his gratitude to the Managing Director Polarank Nigeria Limited on behalf of the University for appreciating the good work of nature and for also giving back to the system where he graduated.

            Speaking further, he acknowledged that it is not an easy task to donate, it must be willingly because it comes with a price which someone has to pay and paying a price may not always be the same, it comes in different forms.

            The Deputy Vice-Chancellor however assured the donor that the Park will make maximum use of the kind gesture he extended to the University, praying that this will not be the end of such relationships.

 He encouraged him to bring his friends for more donations and prayed for God’s guidance in his daily endeavors.

            Revealing the rationale behind his donation, Engineer Mudasiru said he is a lover of animals and he saw a gap to be filled and he decided to fill it, adding that it is normal for him to give back to the system.

            According him,  “I love animals, I came in here one day to see the animals and realized that there is something I can do, that is  there is a gap to be filled, so I decided to support the system. So, the motivation basically is that I love animals and I saw a gap that I can fill which is a way of giving back to humanity which is very normal for me”

            He appreciated the University Management and the Zoo Park for giving him the opportunity to support the system and also assured the Management that this is just one of its kind.