“A bridge between legacy and the future,” says Olota of Otta as LASU celebrates Awori heritage
By Lukman Olajide | Newsheadline247
Princess Orelope-Adefulire Gifts Innovation Hub to LASU in Honour of Late Father, Pa Jimoh Orelope
LAGOS, NIGERIA – In a remarkable fusion of legacy, innovation, and community development, Lagos State University (LASU) has officially launched a state-of-the-art Innovation Hub donated by Her Excellency, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, in honour of her late father and Awori patriarch, Pa Jimoh Orelope.
The commissioning ceremony took place on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at the LASU Ojo Campus. The new facility, christened “Jimoh Orelope (Awori) House,” was established in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the aim of fostering digital innovation, entrepreneurship, and youth-focused development.
Princess Orelope-Adefulire, a proud daughter of Otta’s Iyanru Royal Dynasty, is Nigeria’s current Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State. In donating the edifice, she said the gesture was both a tribute to her father’s values and a commitment to advancing education, youth empowerment, and the Awori legacy.
His Royal Majesty, Professor Adeyemi Obalanlege, the Olota of Otta and a key dignitary at the event, commended Princess Orelope-Adefulire for what he described as “visionary leadership and a deeply symbolic contribution to national development.”
“The Innovation Hub is not just a building; it is a bridge between the legacy of our forebears and the future our youth must create,” the monarch stated. “If well utilized, it will become a solution centre to many challenges confronting our society, much like similar initiatives in developed nations.”
Speaking during the Open Day inauguration, LASU Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, lauded the donor for her consistent dedication to educational advancement and her exemplary service to the nation. She described the Innovation Hub as a milestone achievement in the university’s journey toward becoming a globally competitive institution.
The event also drew high-ranking personalities from government, academia, traditional institutions, and the Awori community. Among those present were Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hon. Tolani Sule; National Chairman of the Awori Welfare Association of Nigeria (AWAN), Asiwaju Muhammad Olagbaye; Senator Gbolahan Dada and his wife; and other notable dignitaries.
In attendance alongside the Olota of Otta were respected traditional chiefs, including High Chief Ezekiel Bamisaiye Fadipe (Aro of Otta) and Baale Jamiu Komolafe (Baale of Ipamesan Oke, Otta), underscoring the strong cultural significance of the event.
The Innovation Hub is expected to serve as a catalyst for youth-led digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and SDG-aligned projects in Lagos State and beyond.
