First lady Oluremi Tinubu has fulfilled the first phase of her pledge to her alma mater, the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, by delivering 21 new shuttle buses to the university.

This was disclosed in a statement by the university. It explained that the gesture was part of a total pledge of 50 buses, which she had earlier promised to donate to the institution.

The school said that the vehicles were delivered exactly one year after she announced the donation during a grand commemorative event.

The university also mentioned that the development marked a significant stride toward modernising the institution’s beleaguered internal transportation system.

It noted that the initiative began in October 2024, when Ms Tinubu attended the 50th birthday anniversary of the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II. During the event, the first lady expressed her profound concern about commercial motorcycles being the primary mode of intra-campus transport.

“This is not befitting of a 21st-century world-class African University,” she had remarked at the event, highlighting the risks and inefficiencies that plagued the system. “Moved by her deep-rooted connection to the institution, she pledged to support its overhaul by donating 50 shuttle buses.”

“The arrival of the initial tranche of white-coloured buses on October 10, transformed the pledge into reality, drawing throngs of excited onlookers as the vehicles gleamed under the Ife sun,” said the statement.

(NAN)