Church Renovates Nigerian University Auditorium

At a ceremony held on 27^th May, 2022 in Benin-City, Nigeria, Elder Hugo E. Martinez, President of the Africa West Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, delivered to the University of Benin, the renovated portion of the university’s main auditorium-the Akin Deko Auditorium.

Elder Martinez told the small gathering of top officers of the university led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lillian I. Salami, and some invited guests, that the Church recognizes the importance of education as a tool for social and economic change and responds to requests for assistance whenever resources permit. The Church he stated, is a ‘proponent of life-long learning. This learning focusses not just on the acquisition of knowledge, but also on the discerning of what is right and what is wrong; what is truth and what error, so that appropriate choices may be made’. In the Church, most of the learning is done in the home. This includes both spiritual and secular learning. We are so grateful to have and run universities that foster secular learning with great emphasis on spiritual education also.

In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Lillian I. Salami, noted that the offer by the Church to assist in renovating the auditorium, was a prayer answered. ‘This is the first time in about forty-seven years that this auditorium is receiving this kind of extensive renovation works.’ Expressing her deep gratitude to the Church, Professor Salami said that she could not resist the urge to make further requests on the Church, this time in the department of Law.  She urged Elder Martinez to consider a relationship between the Law Faculty of the University and the Department of Law of the Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

Established in 1970, the University of Benin is a public research university located in Benin-City, Edo State, Nigeria. It started academic work with a student in-take of 150. It has since produced over 350,000 graduates. The Akin Deko Auditorium had fallen into disrepair in parts and had become a challenge especially in times of ceremonies such as matriculations, graduations, and academic lectures.