Foremost professor of psychology at the University of Ibadan, Shyngle Kolawole Balogun, has added his voice to the growing clamour for Nigeria’s restructuring in the wake of the escalating insecurity and economic downturn in the country.
The widely celebrated university don spoke to the Nigerian Tribune during his 60th birthday celebration and book launch held on Saturday, August 7, 2021, at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan.
According to him, “This was not the country I dreamt of, I must confess. While we were growing up, you could call us Independence children and we were just good. In those days, one could leave Ibadan for Lagos without any form of fear or harassment. But today, the major problems that we have are insecurity, tribalism and nepotism. The way things are done today is lopsided.
“Only a few people are enjoying the current setup in the country. Hence, the agitation we have been seeing in the country by different groups. This agitation is not by those who are calling for Yoruba Nation or Igbo Nation. Because of the perceived injustice, they desire self determination. Nigeria used to be a country that many others and I enjoyed while growing up.
“The only thing I believe that can solve these problems that we are faced with today is the restructuring of the entire polity. When you restructure the polity, the economic situation of the country will improve; so, let us go back to the 1963 constitution.”
The birthday celebration also witnessed the launch of the book titled: ‘The Quintessential Shyngle Kolawole Balogun’ authored by Haruna Success and Dairo Samson, both postgraduate students being supervised by the celebrant.
Speaking on the book, an elated Balogun said: “My PhD students were responsible for the publication and title of the book; the only thing I saw was the manuscript. It was yesterday (day before the celebration) that they gave me the publication. Samuel Haruna was the key man who said he wanted to coordinate the programme; he was the one who moved the idea and he said I should just leave him to handle it; he also promised to write my biography.
“I didn’t know how he came across the information he put into the book but he was the one who wrote the book. He showed me the title during the process of production but I told him that I am not an angel. He, however, insisted that since he is the author of the book, to him, he would stay with the title he had chosen. He added that he always saw me as an angel sent to his life.”
In his foreword to the book, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Idowu Olayinka, stated that the text is a “book of tributes dedicated to mark the 60th birthday of Professor Shyngle Kolawole Balogun, a notable psychologist, eminent university teacher, prolific scholar, distinguished researcher and seasoned administrator. His attitude to life, professional accomplishments, church and family life have been discussed from various perspectives by several dozens of commentators who have watched and observed him at close quarters and were thus in a vantage position to give their testimonies.
“Certain attributes of the honoree come out recurringly in many of the write-up. For example, a great number of his former students attest to his punctuality in class, friendliness, approachability and effective research supervision; his colleagues confirm that he turns in his end of semester examination results within a few days of the examinations; his friends indicate copiously that he is frank, loyal, open, dependable and reliable colleague, his spiritual leaders provide ample evidence that he is a man of faith while his family acknowledge with pride that he is a loving and caring husband and a doting father.
“All who have come across him can relate easily to his honesty, hardwork, fairness, compassion, integrity, discipline, passion, altruistic and cosmopolitan nature, and his disdain, intolerance and impatience with mediocrity and laziness.
“The numerous case histories contained in the publication would be found useful and worthy of emulation, by all those who are in academia and are desirous of effectively serving in loco parentis, as role models, as counselors and as mentors to their students.”
The event was graced by the celebrant’s family, the academic community and members of the general public.
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