Principal officers from all the Nigerian Baptist Convention’s tertiary institutions in the country assembled in Bowen university campus, Iwo, in Osun State, to observe a joint valedictory service organized for Revered (Dr) Supo Ayokunle, the outgoing President of the convention, as he rotates out as Bowen University’s visitor and all the institutions owned and run exclusively by the convention’s Visitor.
Addressing the audience at the occasion held recently, the Vice-Chancellor, Bowen University, Professor Joshua Ogunwole stated that the joint valedictory service became inevitable in view of the outgoing visitor’s landmark contributions to the development of all tertiary institutions owned by the convention.
He noted that Revered Dr Supo Ayokunle’s 10 years of meritorious service was a blessing to all the convention’s institutions in the country.
He said: “Revered Dr Supo Ayokunle is a leader of high repute whose intellectual ability cannot be overemphasized.
“Whatever innovation and developments Bowen University has witnessed in the last three years I assumed office as a Vice-Chancellor are attributable to our Outgoing Visitor. He was ever-present to support the progress of the university throughout his tenure as a visitor to the university. By the grace of God, Bowen University has been established on a solid foundation for any successor can build on.”
Talking about academic stability assurance in the Nigerian university educational system, the Vice-Chancellor declared that a peaceful environment is essential for effective learning. He urged the Nigerian government to take responsibility for security and do the needful to ensure peace in the country.
Also speaking in the same vein, the newly appointed Chancellor of Bowen University, Revered Dr Amos Kunat stated that he would build on the existing foundation already laid by the past leaders of the university to ensure continuity in the expansion process of the institution.
According to him, his vision is to see that “Bowen rises to become the definition of excellent education in Nigeria, He assured Nigerian that Bowen would continue to offer a world-class university education under conducive learning environment, obtainable anywhere abroad.
He then enjoined the students to cooperate with the university’s rules and regulations put on the ground to ensure smooth running of the institution and for quality education and skill development assurance.
In his response, the outgoing Visitor to the university, Rev. (Dr) Ayokunle, expressed satisfaction with the joint valedictory service organized for him, and for the smooth and progressive running of all the institutions owned by convention in the country.
While talking about the private initiative in Nigeria, Dr Ayokunle reiterated that private university is becoming the hope for the revival of quality education in Nigeria.
According to him, every private university, especially Bowen University, do ensure closed monitoring of their staff and the students for quality education assurance and also ensure prompt payment of staff salary and student welfare assurance to enhance staff and students’ contributions to the institution’s development process.
He lamented over the negligence of public universities in the country. He then urged the state and the federal governments to put in place a supervisory body for every public university in the country and also find a lasting solution to the courses of academic stability in public schools in Nigeria.
Ayokunle rotates out as Bowen University’s visitor
