Sola POPOOLA
Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Saturday, on Saturday inaugurated the newly constructed Wole Olanipekun Physiotherapy Centre (WOPC) at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
The two storey facility equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, office furniture, numerous fire exits, smoke detectors, and a dual power supply was built by one of the Children of the legal icon and his wife, Tolu and Bode Olanipekun, SAN in honour of Chief Olanipekun SAN.
The project, which began with a modest idea in February 2024, blossomed into what is now being applauded as the best physiotherapy centre in Nigeria and West Africa.
In his address, the governor saluted the positive spirits of the Olanipekuns for investing in humanity through their various philanthropic interventions, and for investing in health, a critical area of need in Nigeria’s development discourse.
Sanwo-Olu said :“what Bode and Tolu have done is not just a structure. It is a statement. It’s a challenge to all of us, to use our little space to give back,” Sanwo-Olu said.
According to the governor, the project is a challenge to him,as an alumnus of UNILAG adding the Olanipekuns had set him on a race to match their impact in the University.
In his remark , the honouree ,Chief Olanipekun who almost betrayed emotion described the event as one of his best moments in life .
The former chairman Body of Benchers disclosed the project came to him ,as a big surprise as he was neither informed nor carry along from conceptualisation to completion . I didnt know anything about it , I didnt prompt it and I didn’t fund .All I knew was that no money was missing in the office .
In an emotion laden voice, Chief Olanipekun said :
“When Bode called me about nine days ago and said Chief I have a surprise for you , I thought he was joking .I then said to him ” Bode!, do you want to give me money “? Because I needed money as at that time. He said I built a small structure for you at LUTH and I want you to be present at the commissioning. I thought it was just a small bungalow, but when he sent the details to me , I became so emotional and tears started rolling down .It was tears of appreciation anyway. I can’t belief it and I can’t claim ownership of this project ,because I I knew nothing about it .
” I was happy because, I didn’t have the opportunity to do this for my parents when they were alive, though I took good care of them till they died.I was able to build some structures in their honour after their demise. I am extremely happy today that I have a child doing this for me when I am still alive “.
In her speech, the UNILAG’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, described the project as huge and another first for the institution which she described as the first place of choice among Nigerian Universities. .
“This is a game-changer. You have not just built a centre; you have written history,” she said. “And yes, I’m a ‘she’, running one of the biggest universities in Nigeria, so the future is balanced,” the VC added.
She also revealed that the university was preparing for an expansion in student numbers and had been upgrading facilities in line with the federal government’s agenda.
The VC used the occasion to express gratitude to the Olanipekun family, with a promise that the University would make best use of the Multimillionaira facility.
The donor ,Bode Olanipekun (SAN) said he was inspired to read Law because, he saw the beauty of Legal Profession in the brilliant ways his father used to address the courts .
He also disclosed that his father was kept in the dark about the project which he said was meant to be a big surprise, adding that the architect of the vision was his wife, Tolu Olanipekun.
He said :“it was my wife’s idea. I only stole it and ran with it. She found the contractor, sourced the equipment, and ensured every line and finishing met her uncompromising standards. My new awareness of architectural precision came only from living with Tolu.
“Now I know when a line isn’t straight. And that’s because I’ve lived with someone who sees what others overlook.”
Bode thanked Governor Sanwo-Olu for his unwavering support. “When I told him about the plans for the commissioning of the project, the governor said to me , ‘Bode, any day you pick, just let me know.’ No letter. No formality. Just support,” he said.
Welcoming the guests, the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Professor W.L. Adeyemo, highlighted the importance of the centre in the hospital’s vision to transform into a truly 21st-century healthcare facility.
The CMD described the building as a legacy project.
“About two years ago, Bode and Tolu approached us with this proposal. We had no idea it would be this massive. It has surpassed all expectations. Their attention to detail and insistence on quality delayed the project, but also elevated it.”
He explained that the centre, funded entirely by the Olanipekun family, boasts top-tier equipment, architectural sophistication, and a design philosophy focused on comfort, accessibility, and cutting-edge therapy techniques.
Architect Jimi Adetona, in his technical breakdown of the project, described the facility as a “modern marvel.” The three-floor building, according to Adetona, houses: 28 treatment cubicles, Hydrotherapy pool, Adult and pediatric gyms, VIP treatment rooms, Intern and staff lounges, Seminar and training room seating 60, Solar-powered backup system (15kVA inverter), Advanced fire safety and accessibility features.
“This building is more than concrete and steel. It is a statement of vision, a testament to what collaboration can achieve,” Adetona stated,