The Mechanical Engineering Department laboratory at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, has received a digital makeover with state-of-the-art equipment worth millions to help engineers and innovators.
This improvement was made possible by the efforts of fintech executive Tosin Eniolorunda, who refurbished the laboratory to function as a Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) facility.
Eniolorunda, a Moniepoint co-founder and department alumnus, commissioned the project over the weekend alongside the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simeon Bamire.
The laboratory, which is now named after Eniolorunda, intends to increase Nigerian students’ interest in science and technology, particularly prototyping, design, and engineering.
Professor Bamire said: “We are very grateful for this laboratory considering that we are almost phasing out some of these things as a result of paucity of funds. This laboratory will help improve and enhance a lot of things within the University for students and staff and also drive collaboration between the academia and industry,” he said.
In his remark on donation, Eniolorunda said, “this newly revamped laboratory represents more than just an upgrade, it stands as part of a personal commitment to foster a generation of engineers and innovators to inspired them to think critically and creatively about real-world problems.
“These state-of-the-art multi-million naira resources will provide students with hands-on experience in the latest CAD/CAM technologies, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in the field of mechanical engineering”.