Emulate Yusuf, Sanusi urges dons
By Abubakar Imam
The Director of the Centre for Ilorin Studies (CILS), University of Ilorin, Prof. Issa Olarongbe Sanusi, has encouraged staff members of the University, particularly the academics, to emulate the patriotism and foresightedness of the late Director of the Centre for Linguistics Immersion, Prof. Badmas Olanrewaju Yusuf.
Prof. Sanusi made this call last Tuesday (February 17, 2026) while speaking with UNILORIN Bulletin on the legacy of the late cleric-don.
He described the late Prof. Yusuf as one of the most distinguished indigenes of the Ilorin Emirate who not only passed through the University but also served the institution to the best of his ability.
Prof. Sanusi, who teaches at the Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, said that the career of Prof. Yusuf intertwined with the history of the University since he was admitted into the institution as a student and up to when he died as one of its senior academics.
The Director recalled that Prof. Yusuf was one of the senior academics of the University who supported the management of the CILS towards ensuring that it achieves its objectives.
Prof. Sanusi paid glowing tributes to the late Prof. Yusuf for his moral and material assistance to the Centre as he recalled that the late scholar made a donation of the portraits of the founder of the Arabic Training Centre, Agege, Lagos State, Shaykh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory and Shaykh Ahmad Rufai Nda Salaty to the Centre.
He said that the gesture of the late Prof. Yusuf has enriched and equipped the Centre to the advantage of those who want to know some of those whose efforts contributed to the growth and development of the Ilorin Emirate.
While he said that the late Prof. Yusuf had not only assisted the Centre and the University, the Director said that the deceased has also immortalised himself with the donation, as reference would continue to be made to the donor anytime the materials are consulted by researchers and admired by visitors to its gallery.
Prof. Sanusi, therefore, encouraged other staff members and students as well as friends of the University to emulate the late Prof. Yusuf by donating relevant materials to the Centre for the sake of posterity.
He said that the donation of relevant manuscripts, pictures, video and audio clips, cultural relics and books , among other things, would be appreciated.
