CPSS honours Egbewole, Oloyede, Gambari, others
By Abubakar Imam
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN; the immediate past Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Emeritus Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, CON; a former Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, and a former Chairman of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State Universities in Nigeria, Prof. Yusuf Ola-Olu Ali, SAN, were among several dignitaries honoured by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS), University of Ilorin on Friday, October 23, 2026.
Also honoured at the same event, which was organised in conjunction with the students of the Centre, were past Directors of the Centre such as Prof. Isaac Olawale Albert, Prof. Joseph Fayeye, Prof. Ibrahim Abdulganiyu Jawondo, Prof. Oyeronke Olademo and Prof. Mahfouz Adebola Adedimeji as well as Prof. Olabisi Olasehinde-Williams.
The list of the honourees also include senior security chiefs such as the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Mr Ojo Adekimi; and the Commandant of the Kwara State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Abbas Nda Mohammed, among others.
Speaking at the event, the Director of the Centre, Prof. Abdul-Jelil Gbemisola Animasawun, explained that the decision to celebrate the scholars was informed by the need to recognise their individual and collective contributions to the development of the Centre and the society at large.
Prof. Animasawun, who is a counter-terrorism expert, added that they were also honoured for their contributions to the growth of Peace Studies in Nigeria as well as the need to encourage others to emulate them.
Speaking specifically on his predecessors, Prof. Animasawun thanked them for their cumulative achievements and contributions, which continued to attract students, scholars and other stakeholders to the Centre.
The don, who took over the leadership of the Centre in 2025, explained that the Centre would continue to celebrate the former Directors and all those who impacted positively on peace building as he also assured them that the management and staff of the Centre would ensure that the light of the CPSS does not get extinguished.
In a chat with UNILORIN Bulletin on the sidelines of the event, one of the honourees and the incumbent Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin, Prof. Ibrahim Abdulganiyu Jawondo, said that he and his colleagues were delighted that they were found worthy of celebration by the Centre.
Prof. Jawondo, who is also a former Director of the Centre for Ilorin Studies (CILS), University of Ilorin, said that the importance of peace in any society cannot be over-emphasised.
The don pointed out that neither positive growth nor development can be experienced in an atmosphere of confusion and conflict.
He, therefore, encouraged everyone, no matter the position they occupy, to always promote peace and harmony anywhere they find themselves.
The event was attended by staff members, students, friends and colleagues of the honourees as well as members of the general public.
