_”The purpose of life is to contribute in some way for making things better…”_ Robert F. Kennedy
The above statement captured the essence upon which I humbly come to solicit for your support, your prayers and your feedback as I step forward to offer myself to serve the entire members of our Alumni Association – The Federal University of Technology Minna Alumni Association in the capacity of your Chief Servant, The National President.
With all humility of purpose, I come today to ask you in all sincerity to let us join hands to build our Alma Mater, bringing to it the deserved glory and help in building the university that built all of us!
World all over, it is confirmed that the Alumni owns their universities, so we must encourage ourselves no matter the strata we find ourselves to be agents of positive contribution and worthy ambassador of FUTMx Alumni Association.
I am stepping out to solicit your support not only because I have gathered experiences over years, starting from Faculty President, Students’ Union President, General Secretary of Senior Staff Association (where I worked), National Secretary of Support Group of a political party in Nigeria, and former National Financial Secretary of our dearest Alumni Association, but because I am ready to serve you, ready to build the bridge between the older generation of our alumni through the alumni members that are in between and those of us who are very fresh graduates; because I am ready to create ALL State Chapters and I am ready to complete all the projects embarked upon by the previous administrations amongst other ‘readinesses’.
I am equally aware that the university community requires our support in numerous areas: building structures including hostels (especially for female students) and upgrading/rehabilitation of teaching facilities. Similarly, there is insufficient funds to embark on research works and innovations in our university.
I am also aware that many of our members are unemployed or ungainfully employed despite the fact that we are rated very high on employability indices in Nigeria. However, I am glad to inform you that many of our members are ever ready to embark on entrepreneurial ventures provided they can be mentored, supported and guaranteed.
Ladies and gentlemen, the above are amongst the situations facing us a group of people. When Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher said the _“great aim of education is not knowledge but actions”_, he was referring to what we should do if a situation like what was narrated above arises. That is why I desire to know every member of this association through their respective Chapters and Clusters.
Though delegates are the ones to vote but I am aware that they carry your mandates and your expectations as members of this great association. Above all If I win and becomes The National President, I shall be serving all of you including the delegates and I shall operate an open-door, people friendly policy all the time.
Apart from the above, as we grow older members celebrate marriages, house warming, becomes captains in different endeavour, celebrate birthdays, win contracts, get appointments and above need someone to celebrate them when they die (I pray for continuous eternal rest for our members who have slept in the Lord), may Almighty God grant us long life. This is another reason why we must not waste time in building a viable and prestigious alumni association which I offer myself to you today as part of the team to build it.
Similarly, when Frantz Fanon postulated in 1945 that _“every generation out of relative obscurity must discover its mission whether to betray or fulfil it”_, he actually had our esteem association in mind. In fulfilling what I have gather from cross-pollinating ideas with our members across the country and those in diaspora on random sampling basis as our mission, I have put up this manifesto which I refer to as “The Bridge Builder manifesto under 3 main subject matters.”
Yes! we shall prosecute The Bridge Builder manifesto under three (3) main categories, the components within the categories and the categories themselves are designed to run simultaneously using the paraphernalia of Committees formation, because they are mutually exclusive therefore with the incorporation of members in various committee, our two years tenure shall achieve all the components of the manifesto provided we are ready, which I stand to say, I Adeleye A Johnson is ready, provided you give me the opportunity, the mandate and you instruct your honoured delegates to vote for me in the forthcoming Delegates Election in Abuja. The Components of the Manifesto are as follows:
1. Economic Advancement & Welfare of Alumni Members:
a. Creation of Alumni Chapters in all the remaining 28 States and diaspora (5 international Countries).
b. Ensure the establishment of physical Offices in all inaugurated States.
c. Perfecting our Job Creation Strategy.
d. Working with State Chapters to adopt favourable Life Insurance Policy for members and registering members who are not with any Health Maintenance Organization with favourable HMOs accordingly.
e. Holding of Monthly Townhall meetings via Zoom and other electronic media.
f. Launching of FUTMx Alumni Association Members Businesses & Professional Services’ Directory (2022 Edition).
g. FUTMx Alumni Association Constitution Review and Amendment shall be a fully participatory exercise.
h. Champion, solicit and lobby for more funding by Federal government and International Partners/Donors & Foundation for our University.
i. Create investment opportunities and wealth models for our teeming members
2. Completion of All Outstanding Projects by the Previous Administration.
a. Swift completion of Alumni Hostel for Students which is also a long-term investment portfolio for members who keyed into the program.
b. Shea Butter Project – all the machinery that were put in place will be activated and the Exportation of FUTMx Alumni Association Shea Butter shall begin earnest.
c. Ensuring the smooth running of FUTMx Alumni Association Cooperative Society by competent members of the association.
3. Creating Wider Visibilities for FUTMx Alumni Association and Social Interaction for Members
a. Launching of World class Website to showcase various expertise of our members, build our credibility and project contemporary impression of our alumni association.
b. Create a strong Social Media impression of association through localization of members on LinkedIn.
c. Rebranding of FUTMx Alumni Association Founders Day/Reunion Celebration.
d. Rewarding outstanding career pursuit of our Alumni association members.
e. Take a lead nationally on issues that affect our Alumni body.
f. Creation of an Ad-Hoc Committee for representatives of each graduating sets.
g. Launch Business and Professional Conferences with captains of industries in attendance.
h. Organize novelty matches between our Alumni and Other Universities Alumni Associations’
i. Ensure FUTMx Alumni Association participates actively in the Alumni Association (AAN) now Association of Nigerian Universities Alumni (ANUA) and derive all accrued benefits for our members.
Ladies and gentlemen permit to close this manifesto with a quote very dear to me: “when the come as come to become the come the unbecome becomes the come” that is to say the wiliness of some people to commit to a course shall positively rob off on the entire membership………………..
On this note I humbly submit myself to you my people to serve you diligently and purposefully, to be accountable to you at all times and to be prudent with our scarce resources.
When you think about a fellow who is ready to serve you well, think about ADELEYE ADELAGUNAYEJA JOHNSON aka Leye. He is your man; he is our man and he is our servant.
Pls do remember to further convince your delegates to vote for Leye, The Bridge Builder during forthcoming delegates election in Abuja which comes up between 7th & 9th October, 2021.
Finally, may I request one more thing from you? To keep this chat because you shall definitely be using it as a benchmark at the close of the tenure by the grace of God if you vote me into the office of The National President of our great Alumni Association.
So help me God. Amen
Long live Federal University of Technology Minna Alumni Association!!!
Yours in Service
Adeleye Adelagunayeja Johnson
95/4949 Architecture
