Dr. John Obaro Donates ₦1 Billion 5,000-Seater Hall to McPherson University in Tribute to Late Parents

In a striking gesture of philanthropy, Dr. John Tanimola Obaro, Managing Director, CEO, and Founder of SystemSpecs and creator of the widely used Remita payment platform, has donated a 5,000-seater multipurpose hall to McPherson University in Ogun State.

Commissioned on October 13, 2025, by Rev. Dr. Sam Aboyeji, General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria and Visitor to the University, the facility, named Stephen & Hannah Obaro Multipurpose Hall, honors Dr. Obaro’s late parents, reflecting his deep commitment to educational advancement.

Valued at over ₦1 billion, the state-of-the-art complex, designed to seat 5,000 people, features modern conference centers, a commercial shop, more than 60 toilets, and several offices, positioning it as one of the campus’s most advanced structures. This donation follows Dr. Obaro’s earlier multimillion-naira gift of a College of Computing, reinforcing his ongoing support for innovation and research at the university and enhancing Nigeria’s educational landscape.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Francis Igbasan hailed the hall as “the largest and most significant structure in McPherson University’s history,” expressing heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Obaro. He highlighted its potential as a hub for academic, social, and spiritual gatherings, urging alumni, benefactors, and partners to contribute to furnishing the hall and equipping its conference centers, while welcoming further collaborations to bolster the institution’s infrastructure.

Engr. Pastor Kunle Allen, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, shared the inspiring journey behind the project’s completion, calling on donors and development partners to invest through endowments or build-operate-transfer partnerships. He noted the university’s ongoing need for halls of residence, lecture theatres, and faculty buildings to sustain its growth.

The ceremony attracted a distinguished gathering, including Rev. Randy Remington, President of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, and his wife Mrs. Sandy Remington; Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman of MTN Nigeria Communications PLC; Rt. Rev. (Dr.) Steven Adegbite, Chaplain of Aso Rock Chapel; and Prof. Reuben Olu Obaro with his family, among other dignitaries.

Dr. Obaro, reflecting on his parents’ modest educational backgrounds, shared a poignant memory of teasing his mother, a primary school graduate, as “a mother of graduates.” He dedicated the hall as a legacy to Stephen and Hannah Obaro, emphasizing his belief in education’s transformative power and his resolve to empower future generations through such initiatives.