14th UNILORIN Merit Awards And Me
Monday (October 23, 2023) would remain a great day in my career and, indeed, in my entire life. It was the day the authorities of the University of Ilorin conferred on me one of the institution’s prestigious merit awards. I was honoured as the University’s Directorate of Corporate Affairs Staff of the Year at the 14th edition of the institution’s Merit Awards and luncheon. The event marked the highlight of the 37th and 38th combined convocation ceremonies of the University.
The award was not my first. I had received several of these since my primary school days and through my days as an undergraduate. Similarly, I earned an award as a corps member and even in my previous place of employment. Each of the previous awards was premised on different milestones. But this UNILORIN Award was a great and unique one as I consider it as the best of those that have come my way so far.
The reason for this assertion is not far-fetched. This is because to be singled out for an honour among the staff members of a University is a great privilege. I say this as I believed that the beneficiaries of the University’s Awards must have been intensively screened and found to be worthy of the honour.
An architect’s mistake is often turned into a “new dimension in modern construction”. The mistakes of a doctor are buried!! The victims of the mistakes of lawyers end up in jails or in the galows. But those committed by journalists and writers are published for the whole world to bemoan and criticise!!!
And, therefore, for a journalist to be honoured based on his professional outputs is a different ball game. He has so many things to “unadvertise” and discredit him. He must have, therefore, crossed so many hurdles to be announced as the winner of an award!
Yes, I was trained as a journalist at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Yes, I graduated from the University with honours 25 years ago. But I never practised journalism until I joined the services of this University.
Even when I did, I deliberately hid myself in the Marketing Unit of the University’s Directorate of Corporate Affairs. I was however brought out of my cocoon two years after; and to the limelight of the Public Affairs Unit of the Directorate. I was appointed as the Deputy Editor of the University’s weekly news publication, UNILORIN BULLETIN by its Editorial Board at the instance of the Director of Corporate Affairs, University of Ilorin, Mr Kunle Akogun.
The veteran journalist and astute public relations practitioner did so because, according to him, he felt that I would be much more useful to the University in the active practice of journalism. He was also of the conviction that the position would make me to be visible among the institution’s staff members and its relevant publics. My Oga, a man who doesn’t care about where his subordinates hail from or the religion they practice but who always based his position and assessment on work output, was incontrovertibly right.
A senior colleague often joked that it was Mr Akogun, who discovered the journalistic instinct in yours sincerely as the British explorer, Mungo Park, “discovered” the River Niger. I think he is right.
While the award remains a pleasant surprise to me and my family, I felt more honoured with the calibre of individuals who joined me to receive it as it was being presented by a member of the University’s Governing Council and Director of the University Health Services, Dr Rasheed Odunola.
Unlike other awardees; I was at the event without any member of my biological family. But since “members of my family are beyond the blood line”, some of my siblings from other parents, who were at the event, swiftly and unexpectedly trooped out to the podium immediately it was my turn to be presented with the memorabilia of the award. They were led by three of the Principal Officers of the University.
I was absolutely thrilled that the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services), Prof. Suleiman Funsho Ambali along side his amiable wife, Mrs Zainab O. Ambali; the Registrar, Mr Mansur Adeleke Alfanla; the University Librarian, Dr Kamaldeen Tunde Omopupa; the Dean, Faculty of Law, Prof. Nimah Modupe AbdulRaheem; the Dean, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Prof. Abdullahi Baba Alafara and the Director, Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB), Prof. Ibrahim Kayode Adams came out to join me in receiving the honour. I was also excited that the Director of Corporate Affairs, University of Ilorin, Mr Kunle Akogun; the Coordinator, Physical Planning Unit, University of Ilorin, QS AbdulRahman Toyin Jimoh; and the Station Manager, UNILORIN 89.3 FM, Mr Idris Akintola Ibrahiim (Alooma) as well as several of my distinguished colleagues at the UNILORIN’s Directorate of Corporate Affairs and other segments of the University left their respective seats to join me on the podium to receive the merit award.
The comments of each of them and many who could not join us on the podium were also stimulating, exciting and inspiring. I am particularly enamoured by the words of a Member of the Governing Council of the University, Prof. AbdulRasheed Abiodun Adeoye, who said, “the award was excellently deserving. Every member of the University community knows that you are eminently qualified and actually earned it”.
All said and done, I must thank the penultimate Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, OON; who offered me an appointment into the services of the University as a Senior Information Officer in 2016. I am sure that Prof. Ambali would be very happy that the boy he brought into the services of the University as an anonymous Information Officer is now an award-winning Assistant Director at the same citadel of learning.
I also thank the Talba of Ilorin, who is also a former Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Shuaibu Oba AbdulRaheem, OFR, who on learning of my appointment expressed profound confidence in my ability to make my mark at the University.
I also thank the current Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, whose administration celebrated my humble contributions with the merit award. Ever since the award-winning Professor of Jurisprudence and International Law first met me at a parley shortly after his appointment as the Chief Executive of the University, the ever-smiling Senior Advocate of Nigeria has taken profound interest in me. And I have promised not to disappoint him and others who take extraordinary interest in my career.
I would be ungrateful if I don’t mention my Chairman, the DVC (MS), Prof. Ambali. He is my role model and Chairman of the Ilorin Emirate Staff Association (IESA), University of Ilorin, while I am the Association’s Chief Scribe. He calls me “Super Sec” since I emerged as the Chief Scribe of the IESA and he, as the Chairman. Before then, he had been a great admirer of mine and thereafter became someone who always challenged me to do better. His often repeated expression of “we are proud of you” has been a career stimulant. Prof. Ambali remains the humblest academic I have ever met. He relates to me as if we operate at the same level!
Let me also thank my Director and Editor, Mr Kunle Akogun, an embodiment of professionalism, epitome of patriotism and paragon of hard work. He is an ideal boss, who is more than an Oga to me. He is the architect of this honour and my professional pathfinder. Without his guidance and recommendation as enabled by Allah, I wouldn’t be here celebrating the privilege granted to me by the University.
All my critics also deserve my sincere gratitude. They are those who constantly and vigorously remind me of my weaknesses! Yes, they point out my mistakes in order for me to be a better person!! They are those who are responsible for my meticulous dispositions!!! I appreciate them as I love all those who love and appreciate my efforts unconditionally.
This UNILORIN merit award is profoundly appreciated. Though, long before it came, I had elected to always be exemplary in the discharge of every responsibility I am saddled with, the award would definitely spur me to work harder to attain greater excellence.
Nevertheless, I must say that I honestly enjoy doing what I was employed to do and I promise, Insha Allahu, to continue to do my very best at all times and on everything that would make the University greater and our society much better.