Dignitaries and royalty recently gathered in Nigeria to witness the dedication of the Wartburg Science Laboratories at Nobelhouse College.

Chief Olatunde Abudu, a 1956 Wartburg graduate, founded the college nearly four years ago to “educate the next generation of world-class leaders.” In late May he invited Nigerian leaders and Wartburg president Darrel Colson to the campus in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to launch a 10-year capital campaign that will allow the school to grow from 50 students to 720.

The dedication ceremony also included residence halls and a library.

 “Chief Abudu has such a fond recollection of being here at Wartburg. It played such an important role in his life,” Colson said. “He wanted to honor the school by naming one of the buildings after Wartburg. He thought it would be meaningful to have the current Wartburg president there for the dedication.”

Shalom Nwaokolo, a 2013 Wartburg graduate and Nigerian native, also attended.

Abudu, who graduated cum laude with a degree in natural science, served four years as a regent and was awarded an Alumni Citation.

Colson said the trip was even more meaningful coming on the heels of a Board of Regents retreat in Germany, where college leaders reconnected with the institution’s roots.

“As we were dedicating this building, I was thinking about how this seed Wilhelm Löhe planted in Michigan (in Saginaw, where the college was founded) is now bearing fruit in Abeokuta, Nigeria, because of the impact the college had on Chief Abudu,” Colson said.

“It was really interesting to think about this connection. It was a touching reminder of the impact people can have generations into the future — an impact they can’t even imagine.”

Robert Vogel, former Wartburg president and Abudu’s classmate, serves on the Nobelhouse College Board of Visitors.