ASE VC mourns Yusuf, urges Nigerians to emulate him
By Mustapha Abubakar
The Vice Chancellor of African School of Economics (The Pan-African University of Excellence), Abuja, Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, has described the demise of the late Director of the Linguistic Immersion Centre, University of Ilorin, Prof. Badmas Olanrewaju Yusuf, as a shock he was yet to recover from. He noted that his death was not just a loss to the University of Ilorin, the Ilorin Emirate and Nigeria but a major loss to humanity as a whole.
In a statement made available to UNILORIN Bulletin, Prof. Adedimeji lauded Prof. Yusuf as a role model whose remarkable triple heritage of Islamic scholarship, Western education and Ilorin culture made a compelling personality, adding that his life and works would continue to inspire current and unborn generations.
He described Prof. Yusuf, a former Dean of Postgraduate School and ex-Provost of the Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, as a paragon of virtues whose inimitable lifestyle endeared him to many people across social and geographical strata.
According to the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Ahman Pategi University and Chairman of the Editorial Board of UNILORIN Bulletin, the honesty, simplicity, humility, affability, accessibility and versatility of Prof. Yusuf, who was a cleric, scholar, administrator, public intellectual, community leader, public speaker, bridge builder and family man, should be emulated by Nigerians across regions and religions.
He advocated that studies be conducted on his phenomenal personality and vast legacy through a foundation that should be established in his memory.
Prof. Adedimeji commiserated with the Emir of Ilorin, His Royal Highness, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari; the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, SAN, the family of Prof. Yusuf, starting from the immediate past Sub-Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Dr Abdul Hameed Badmas Yusuf, to the rest, and the friends and colleagues of the deceased.
While praying that the Almighty Allah grant Prof. Yusuf Aljannah Firdaos, he reflected that life is transient while positions are temporary and the death of the late Commissioner at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) should serve as a reminder that everyone should be good to others as good deeds always outlive the doers.
