Day Ago Iwoye honoured illustrious son

It was a day of honour for the out-gone Vice Chancellor of Ogun state-owned Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), as the Oba-in-Council Committee and the entire Ago Iwoye community, Ogun State, appreciated Professor Saburi Adesanya, for his rare leadership prowess in administering the 35 year-old institution.

The ceremony was the first of its kind for any VC in the University by the committee comprising of heads of all the eight quarters in the town and eminent personalities.

The Ago Iwoye City Hall played host to the Governor of the State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, the Ebumawe of Ago Iwoye, Oba Abdulrazaq Adenugba, the acting VC of the school, Professor. Ganiyu Olatunde, the Limeri of Awa, Alaporu of Ilaporu; Oba Abeeb Awobajo and Oba Jimoh Quadri.

Others include the Iyalaje of Ijebuland, Chief Fausat Alatishe, the Baba Oba of Ago-Iwoye, General S.A Awobajo, top management staff of the University, the entire university community, academia from other national universities, families, friends, well wishers and other relevant stakeholders.

Adesanya was appointed by the State Government in 2012 to stabilize the institution which was enmeshed in crises and he was acknowledged to have put the University known for its first in the field of Law, Medicine and Physical Sciences, in times past, back to its lost glory.

During his tenure the institution was adjudged as the best state owned University twice, no record of students’ unrest and industrial dispute among various unions.

The chairman of the planning committee, Professor Sola Adebajo, said the town and its people decided to celebrate Adesanya because of his achievements in his five-year stay amongst them. He thanked the Ebumawe for considering it worthy to honour the out-gone VC saying “this is an epoch-making event, a memorable circumstance, a red-letter day and a most auspicious day to sincerely tell Professor Saburi Adejinmi Adesanya that Ago-Iwoye loves him having been that genial,  pleasantly mild and achievement-oriented in his five-year stay amongst us.  He brought us here together today.

“It is not every time we gather like this for today’s purpose. We just want to say that Professor Adesanya has been that wonderful and extra-ordinary amongst us that we need a day like this to say thank you. Ago-Iwoye has put this gathering together as a result of her philosophy of life which includes appreciation, peaceful co-existence with neighbors, encouragement as well as trust in God Almighty.”

Oba Adenugba in his speech said the tenure of Adesanya has brought unprecedented cordial relationship between the Ago-Iwoye community and the University community. He noted that the peaceful atmosphere that pervaded the town and gown during his tenure, served as catalyst for improvement on the socio-economic activities of the town.

The monarch described Adesanya as a competent manager of men and resources, acknowledging the fact that there was industrial harmony and no students and staff unrest incidence while he held sway as the VC.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate an erudite scholar imbued with great intellectual capacity; a man of high integrity who has uncommon passion for great accomplishments; a man who has left his footprints in sands of time, and whose record of achievements as the Vice Chancellor at OOU, Ago-Iwoye, will forever remain indelible and continue to be a reference point.

“As a close watcher of activities in the University, I want to place on record that the tenure of Professor Saburi Adesanya was indeed a great blessing to the University going by the various developmental projects dotted the nooks and crannies of the university campus. For us in Ago-Iwoye, we are very proud of Prof. Adesanya, whose contributions to the development and transformation of the University rubbed off positively the socio-economic status of the town. We are happy that Professor Adesanya is leaving behind enduring legacy of a united town and gown that was built on a sound footing,” the monarch added.

Oba Adenugba assured the new acting VC, Professor Ganiyu Olatunde, of the cooperation and unflinching support of the entire Ago Iwoye community to his administration.

Oba Awobajo said the out-gone VC excelled as an administrator of the school during his tenure while Oba Quadri said that Adesanya had done his beat for the University urging the new VC to build on his good works.

In their goodwill messages, the chairman, Ago-Iwoye Local Council Development Area, Hon. Ayodele Ademosu, said Adesanya added value to the institution in terms of infrastructural development.

Alhaja Alatishe equally lent her voice to that of earlier speakers, saying that Adesanya style of leadership made him to excel.

Olatunde who took over the reins said that a position of VC in any Nigerian university is not a tea party, noting that the send forth programme was indeed a great honour for his predecessor. “He has left a big shoe and I am promising that we will equally do our best. To complete your tenure and be appreciated by a community is a great honour. He has left a great legacy because of his leadership style.

“My administration will maintain the town and gown relationship and am seeking the support of the university community to move OOU forward,” he said.

The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Deji Agboola, described Adesanya as a good administrator per excellence.

Amosun gave Adesanya an excellence mark for turning around the fortune of the University. “He has done well in administering OOU. What he has done in the last five years was to rebuild the university. I am so proud of the Ebumawe, the Oba-In-Council and the entire community for the honour done on Prof. Adesanya,” he said.

The honoree in his response thanked Amosun for believing in him in turning around the University, saying that the institution is one of the most peaceful in the country.

“When I came in 2012, I met the Ebumawe and the Oba-In-Council. That day, they had a presentation for me that they wanted a university like Ife and Ibadan. I promised that we shall donor best. Today, OOU is one of the most beautiful campuses and that all they asked me to do, I have done.

“Today, OOU is one of the best universities in Nigeria. I appreciate the entire university community, staff and students for their support and stakeholders in the education industry for contributing their quota towards the development of the school,” Adesanya noted.

He sought for the assistance of the town in ensuring that his successor equally achieves more than him.