How Black Heritage Magazine uniquely celebrates UNILORIN @ 50
By Abubakar Imam
Though the Golden Jubilee of the nation’s better by far University, the University of Ilorin, has come and gone, its celebration nevertheless continues in the minds, homes, offices and stables of individuals and corporate organisations that value service delivery, which the University has come to epitomise since its establishment in 1975.
A popular periodical, Black Heritage magazine, recently published a compendium on the careers of some of the highly outstanding graduates of the University. Twenty-one ex-Unilorites drawn from various sectors of human endeavours, all of whom are making waves within and outside Nigeria, were spotlighted in the edition under review.
Leading the pack of those featured in the publication is the 11th Vice Chancellor of the University and Secretary General of the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN; under whose watch the anniversary was celebrated. Prof. Egbewole, a distinguished legal luminary and member of the Body of Benchers, is the second graduate of the University to have the privilege of serving as its Chief Executive.
Other prominent academics celebrated in the publication include the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Adenike Temidayo Oladiji; the Vice Chancellor of the Kwara State University, Malete, Prof. Shaykh Luqman Alade Jimoh, and the Vice Chancellor of the Ojaja University,Ilorin, Prof. Jelili Ojuade, who graduated from the Departments of Biochemistry, Religions and The Performing and Film Arts, respectively.
Also featured are the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs Kemi Nanna Nandap; Dr Mutiu Olaleke Agboke, who served as Resident Electoral Commissioner in Oyo and Osun States; Dr Taofeeq Adekunle Abdul-Hameed, who is the Director, Quality Assurance Unit, Federal Polytechnic, Ede; Mr Emmanuel Ola Ehinmoro and Mr Kunle Ahmed, a seasoned Insurance magnate.
The others include Mr Adebola Babatunde Adelaja, who is a Computer guru based in the United Kingdom; Mr Mattias Chika Mordi, an outstanding investment banker and economist, Mrs Oluwatoyin Campbell, a renowned administrator; Prof. Ezekiel Adebuyi, the President of the Nigeria Society of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology.
Also on the list are Mrs Taiwo Oluleye, the Chief Executive Officer of Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria, the nation’s foremost automotive assembler; Mrs Olufunlola Jeje; Princess Oluwafeyikemi Egbeyi, a chartered administrator and waste-to-wealth advocate; and Prof. Chris Olukayode Adedire, who teaches at the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
The rest are Prof. Bayo Akinfemi, an actor, film maker and founder and Artistic Director of African Theatre Artistes Society (ATARS), Los Angeles, United States of America; Prof. Olayemi Durotimi Akinwumi, the immidiate past Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja; Prince Johnson Audu, a multidisciplinary professional and serial entrepreneur and a former Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation and incumbent Managing Director of the Nigerian Railways Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa.
Each of these ex-Unilorites spoke glowingly about the University, particularly as regards its impacts on their careers. They acknowledged the fact that the academic and moral training they received at the University contributed significantly to making them what they have become.
While saying that the University has all it takes to build the best of personality in its current students, they urged the students of the University to face their studies squarely and be prepared to join the league of alumni of the University who would attract more greatness to the University.
It is, however, surprising that the name of Prof. Is’haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, CON, the first graduate of the University to become its Vice Chancellor and has since remained a prominent figure in the nation’s recent history, is omitted. One is also surprised that the name and profile of the first Governor of a state produced by the University, in person of Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed, is also missing.
Many would have also expected to come across names like AbdulRasheed Na’Allah, who served as the poineer Vce Chancellor of the Kwara State University, Malete before heading the Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja); the Vice Chancellor of the African Business School, Abuja, Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, and a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Asmau Tanwa Akanbi-Yusuf, as well as Mr Oyetola Muyiwa Atoyebi, SAN, who remains the youngest silk in Nigeria, among others.
Readers would also find inexplicable the absence of names of seasoned journalists produced by the University. These include Mr Babajide Kolade-Otitoju of the Television Continental TVC, Lagos; Mr Seun Okinbaloye of Channels Television and Mr Eniola Bello, the Managing Director of THISDAY newspapers.
Nevertheless, the publication is a very good effort, which deserves to be emulated for more graduates of the University and its current students to pursue greatness.
