{"id":11646,"date":"2026-06-15T20:09:47","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T20:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/?p=11646"},"modified":"2026-06-15T20:11:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T20:11:55","slug":"after-a-decade-of-silence-oaus-long-abandoned-filling-station-roars-back-to-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/2026\/06\/15\/after-a-decade-of-silence-oaus-long-abandoned-filling-station-roars-back-to-life\/","title":{"rendered":"After a Decade of Silence \u2013 OAU’s Long-Abandoned Filling Station Roars Back to Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a Decade of Silence \u2013 OAU’s Long-Abandoned Filling Station Roars Back to Life<\/p>\n

After more than a decade of silence, the familiar hum of fuel pumps has returned to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, as fuel dispensing officially resumed at the institution’s filling station, marking the end of a prolonged dormancy and signalling a new chapter in the university’s drive towards infrastructure renewal, revenue generation, and campus convenience.\"\" \"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

The milestone was recorded on Saturday, 14th June 2026, during the test dispensing and soft launch of a \u20a6320 million integrated energy and lifestyle hub developed by Guesstimate Nigeria Limited, an indigenous company owned by an alumnus of the university.<\/p>\n

Located within the university’s Maintenance Yard corridor near the main gate, the project is set to transform a facility that had remained largely inactive since the late 2000s into a modern commercial and service hub serving students, staff, residents of Ile-Ife, and neighbouring communities.<\/p>\n

Leading university officials, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Akinfala; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Development), Professor Akinyemi; the Dean of Student Affairs, Professor Odedire; and the Chairman of the Security Committee, Professor Titilayo, were among the first to witness the symbolic recommencement of fuel dispensing.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, described the development as the fulfilment of a long-standing institutional aspiration.<\/p>\n

“I am deeply elated that this is happening under my watch. One of our visions from the beginning was to ensure that this filling station became functional again. Today is proof that OAU can successfully revive and maximise its assets for the benefit of the university community,” he said.<\/p>\n

The Vice-Chancellor also commended the Directorate of Campus Planning and Development (DCPD) for its unwavering commitment to maintaining quality standards during the construction process.<\/p>\n

“We are witnessing the commencement of fuel dispensing today, and by God’s grace, the Governing Council and management will return in September for the formal commissioning of the entire facility,” he added.<\/p>\n

Beyond restoring fuel supply on campus, university management views the project as a strategic economic intervention capable of retaining spending within the university ecosystem. Professor Akinfala noted that the investment aligns with OAU’s broader objective of creating sustainable revenue streams while enhancing the quality of life on campus.<\/p>\n

“This is much more than a filling station. It is a one-stop service centre. When staff and students no longer need to leave campus to buy fuel, access laundry services, recharge electric vehicles, eat, relax, or conduct basic errands, the economic benefits remain within the university environment,” he said.<\/p>\n

For students, the development addresses long-standing concerns about safety and accessibility. The Dean of Student Affairs, Professor Odedire, said the project would significantly reduce the risks associated with students driving outside the campus late at night in search of fuel and other essential services.<\/p>\n

The Chief Executive Officer of Guesstimate Nigeria Limited, himself an alumnus of OAU, said the vision behind the project was to create a modern university ecosystem where energy, convenience, and leisure seamlessly intersect within a secure environment.<\/p>\n

“Our goal is to create a truly modern campus experience. A lecturer should be able to finish an evening class, fuel his vehicle, grab a meal or coffee, conduct basic transactions, and return home without leaving the university environment,” he said.<\/p>\n

“This is not a conventional roadside filling station. It is an integrated service hub built with safety, technology, and convenience at its core.”<\/p>\n

The CEO also disclosed that Guesstimate is developing a dedicated digital payment and credit-card ecosystem that will enable seamless transactions across the facility’s various service points.<\/p>\n

The company’s relationship with OAU extends far beyond the filling station project. Guesstimate currently manages the fleet of 50 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses and 30 tricycles donated to the university through the intervention of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as part of efforts aimed at easing transportation challenges within the institution.<\/p>\n

In addition, one of the company’s subsidiaries plays a key role in OAU’s Waste-to-Wealth initiative, a sustainability programme designed to convert waste into economic value while promoting environmental responsibility across the campus.<\/p>\n

With its headquarters in Lagos, Guesstimate operates through several subsidiaries spanning transportation, energy, environmental services, and infrastructure development, further strengthening its footprint in both the public and private sectors.<\/p>\n

For many members of the university community, however, the significance of the event extends beyond infrastructure and investment. The filling station last operated when former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was in office. Since then, generations of students have passed through the university without ever witnessing fuel being dispensed from the facility.<\/p>\n

Saturday’s test run therefore represented more than a commercial exercise; it symbolised the revival of a long-abandoned asset and renewed confidence in the university’s ability to transform dormant infrastructure into productive ventures.<\/p>\n

As fuel flowed once again from the pumps, the Vice-Chancellor offered a message that captured the mood of the moment.<\/p>\n

“I pray that staff, students, members of the university community, and our neighbours in Ile-Ife and Modakeke will make good use of this facility. If it is well patronised, it will be sustained. Over 10 years is too long a wait, and we cannot afford to return to that silence.”<\/p>\n

When the facility reaches full operational capacity later this year, OAU’s once-abandoned filling station will have evolved into one of the most ambitious campus-based energy and lifestyle hubs in Osun State \u2013 a testament to the power of strategic partnerships, alumni commitment, and institutional renewal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After a Decade of Silence \u2013 OAU’s Long-Abandoned Filling Station Roars Back to Life After more than a decade of silence, the familiar hum of fuel pumps has returned to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU),...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11648,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t