Marathon man Olu Jatto giving students a head start

Having completed 67 marathons in more than 40 countries in the last decade, the 47-year-old father of two has covered the globe to indulge his passion for running, while enjoying a successful legal career.

His willingness to travel far to achieve his goals saw Olu arrive in Aberdeen from Nigeria in 2001, to undertake a postgraduate qualification in Commercial Law.

One of the attractions of studying in Aberdeen was the availability of scholarship opportunities for international students, and Olu benefited from a CB Davidson Bequest Scholarship for postgraduate law students.

A deep sense of responsibility led Olu to vow that he would one day help others in a similar position, and he now contributes to a regular giving fund that is used to support students for multiple purposes.

“The decision to give back came naturally to me and was made during my student days when I had no means of giving back,” he explained.

“I was grateful when I received the scholarship and promised that I would help other deserving students someday. It is important because the financial wellbeing of students makes all the difference to their final graduation results.”

Olu’s belief is now more important than ever, as the Covid-19 pandemic results in severe financial hardship for many students. A fundraising appeal launched to help affected students has underlined the importance of the University’s links with its alumni community, many of whom have donated generously to the Covid-19 525 Bursary Fund and who - like Olu - feel a sense of responsibility to give back.

Even though he studied in Aberdeen for only a year, Olu’s sense of connection to his alma mater runs deep.

“I met so many people from different cultures and backgrounds, while at the same time being intellectually stimulated”, he said.

“One of my favourite memories is my first night at St Peter’s Halls of Residence. I was warmly received by the porter, Robin, who immediately took an interest in me.

“He was keen to tell me about the social life in Aberdeen, and he wanted to know all about my life in Nigeria. He sat me in his office, made me a hot drink and offered me some biscuits. He ended up offering me a job as a fire warden, which came with a weekly reduction in my rent. It was a night I fondly remember!”

Another memorable evening came in December 2019 when Olu attended the annual Alumni Relations Celebrations of Carols event in London, where he was unexpectedly reunited with an old classmate - Yomi Akisanya.

“Yomi and I first met at the Nigerian Law School, and again briefly in London, before he did his LLM in Aberdeen. If it wasn’t for the event our chances of rekindling our friendship were slim, and I’d like to thank Alumni Relations for giving us that true feeling of Christmas magic!”

Now based in York and leading a business providing legal consultancy services, Olu has worked with a number of corporate social responsibility projects and charities including Great Ormond Street Hospital, the British Red Cross, Action Medical Research and the National Trust.

He looks back on his time in Aberdeen as a pivotal moment in his life, and he is proud of his enduring connection with the University.

“I believe we are here to be of service to one another, and it is my pleasure to give back to the University and to be part of its alumni network – it acts as an inspirational forum to meet other graduates and rekindle old friendships.”