Another award in the kitty, as Egbewole bags NIPR Fellowship
The Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has approved the conferment of an Honorary Fellowship on the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN. This is coming barley three months after the New Telegraph’s “Outstanding” University of the year Award.
This development, according to the President/ Chairman of Council of the NIPR, Dr Ike Neliaku, fnipr, is in recognition of Prof. Egbewole’s immense contributions to the advancement of Public Relations practice through his various engagements even before becoming the Vice Chancellor of the Better by far University.
A letter conveying the award message to the Vice Chancellor, dated April 15, 2024 and jointly signed by Dr Neliaku and the Registrar/Secretary of the NIPR Council, Chief Uzoma Onyegbadue, fnipr, stated that Prof. Egbewole would be formally conferred with the NIPR Fellowship in Abeokuta, Ogun State, this Thursday (April 24, 2024, during the Institute’s 61st Annual General Meeting.
The Award letter, a copy of which was sighted by UNILORIN BULLETIN, explained that “the Honorary Fellowship is the highest honour bestowed on individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of the Public Relations profession and the development of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
It added that Prof. Egbewole was specifically found worthy of the honour due to his immense institutional support for the NIPR and its members in the services of the University of Ilorin.
The letter pointed out that the Institute is delighted with the Vice Chancellor’s contribution to the advancement of professionalism in Public Relations by making the University of Ilorin a hub where excellence in Public Relations is the practice.
Welcoming the award, Prof. Egbewole thanked the council of the NIPR for recognising his contributions to the advancement of the ideals of the Institute, adding that the Fellowship would spur him to do more for humanity in general.
In his reaction to the development, the University’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, expressed delight over the recognition of Prof. Egbewole “by a very reputable professional organisation like the NIPR”.
Mr Akogun recounted some of the Vice Chancellor’s activities that accounted for the recognition. These, according to him, include “providing a robust enabling environment for members of the NIPR in the service of the University; empowering the University’s Corporate Affairs staff with ultra-modern state-of-the-art working tools; facilitating regular training and retraining for the University’s Corporate Affairs staff through expedited approvals and regular funding of workshops/conference/seminar attendance; organising regular retreats on current trends in Public Relations practice for top PR management staff of the University; official recognition of the NIPR certificates and other official documents for the purpose of staff recruitment and promotion exercise; as well as his accessibility and open-door policies and cheerful disposition that promote positive engagements with both internal and external publics of the University”.
The Director pointed out that Prof. Egbewole’s “administrative trajectories have rekindled trust in university administration, while his Vision 1:10:500 is sustaining the reputation of the University of Ilorin as the most sought-after university in Nigeria”, adding that the Vice Chancellor’s leadership has earned the university several awards, the most recent of which is that of the Most Outstanding University in Nigeria awarded by the New Telegraph newspaper on February 2nd, 2024.
Mr Akogun said that Prof. Egbewole leads a team that espouses the principle of “management with human face, effective communication, and inclusivity’. These, according to him, “are largely responsible for the relative calm and harmony that reign on the University campus. They have been one of the reasons that we hardly hear about disruptive student unrests that have become regular occurrences in some other institutions of higher learning in the country”.
The Director explained further that “Prof. Egbewole’s administration actively promotes the principle of inclusivity by which all segments and stakeholders of the University, no matter their social status, are carried along in every decision making. One of the practical manifestations of these principles was the process that led to the recently reviewed school charges payable by new and returning students of the University. He made sure that the decision to raise the charges was not unilaterally taken by the management alone. It was taken after due consultation and constructive engagement with the students’ union leadership. This is the hallmark of peace building and crisis prevention communication”.
Mr Akogun stated further that “apart from these, the Vice Chancellor has also exemplified ethical conduct and integrity in the management of human and material resources. He has demonstrated an uncanny commitment to service excellence with his single-minded commitment to the achievement of set goals, an attribute that is in synch with the NIPR’s overall goal of excellence in service delivery”.