Alumni Requests Financial Aid For College Hospital Hostel Project

The North America U.S. Chapter of the Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association (ICOMAA), has requested financial aid from its members towards the completion of the University College Hospital Hostel project.

The President of the association, Dr Abraham Ariyo, made the request in a statement marking his New Year message to members of ICOMAA on Friday.

Ariyo, who is an Interventional Cardiologist in Dallas, Texas, called on all alumni of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI), to donate to building a new student hostel, courtesy of ICOMAA Worldwide.

“Our membership remains strong and contributions to our Endowment Funds remain steady,” he said.

Ariyo, a CoMUI MBBS graduating class of 1988, said that the association was a non-profit tax-exempt organisation that seeks funding from all alumni and friends of the institution.

He added that ICOMAA also seeks funds from corporations and foundations for scholarships, endowments, and capital improvement projects.

“Although we had launched the Hostel Fund before the meeting, the Class of 1989 surprised everyone with a laudable cheque of 30,000 dollars to jumpstart this long-term Hostel fundraising effort.

“This is a symbol of their undeniable gesture of solidarity and foresight.

“At the time, it was the single most significant contribution. That single leading cheque set the funds on ‘fire’.

“We later witnessed an avalanche of interest, including each class donating large amounts of money and a single donation from the Chief Executive Officer of Montefiore in New York of an excellent one million dollars.

“Although we have seen a lot of activities on this Hostel Fund, we still have a long way to go,” he explained.

According to the President, a review showed that the association is still within the 30 per cent range of the total amount budgeted for the building of the hostel.

“To ensure transparency, our Provost has unveiled the inauguration of the UCH-Hostel Fund Committee; they are familiar faces of trustworthy colleagues and our teachers on the committee.

“So, this is to ensure that everyone is satisfied that ‘All your contributions’ will go toward the construction of this much-needed, accreditation-required U.C.H Student Hostel.

“I tried to convince my classmates abroad to donate at least 2,500 dollars and encourage a start of at least a million Naira.

“I want to thank every member. and I appreciate those that have given and we encourage more contributions,” the Alumni President said.