Prominent Nigerians including the Lagos State Governor,
Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwunsi; Akarigbo of Remo Land,
Babatunde Ajayi; Chairwoman of Access Bank Plc, Ajoritsedere Awosika; Chief
Executive Officer of Troyka Holdings Limited, Biodun Shobanjo; Chairman of the
Governing Council of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lanre Tejuoso, and
the Founder of Trinity House, Ituah Ighodalo, among others, were on hand at Eko
Hotels and Suites in Lagos on Thursday in honour of the outgoing 12th
substantive Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
It was less than 48 hours to the end of Mr Ogundipe’s
“turbulent” five-year tenure as the university’s helmsman, and the dignitaries
had assembled to launch a book written to chronicle his scorecard and the
events that characterised the turbulence that almost cost him his office.
The public presentation of the book titled: “The Captain,
Steering the Ship Above Murky Waters,” was chaired by the immediate past
Chairperson of the Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU),
Ile-Ife, Yemi Ogunbiyi, who commended Mr Ogundipe for the excellence recorded
despite the crisis his administration witnessed.
Mr Ogunbiyi in his welcome remarks, said: “I know there’s so
much talk about the fact that he had a turbulent five years. Let’s forget the
past.
“Let’s look at what he did in the short period of time he was
there as vice-chancellor. He excelled and that’s what matters. Let’s put the
challenges he faced behind us. Let’s look at what he achieved within that short
period of time.
“All I want to say to him is that you remain yourself, there
is life after being a vice-chancellor, remain yourself, remain the kind of
person you are, humble, kind and responsive to others’ needs.”
In his remark, the governor of Lagos State, Mr Sanwo-Olu
hailed Mr Ogundipe for putting “the university on a platform that is now the
envy of not only in Nigeria, in Africa and indeed in the world”.
“To begin to highlight the stewardship, the leadership as the 12th vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos is beginning to imagine what has been his journey in the last five years.
“As an alumna of the university myself, I can attest
firsthand that during his tenure, we have seen giant strides, meaningful
impacts, purposeful governance, administration par excellence of this man,” he
said.
He said the book will spotlight his administration at the
university as “he held his head up as a captain, as the leader of this
institution in the last five years and has been able to step even with stormy
water, bad weather, and with a completely unpredictable outcome.”
“And we cannot but wonder, a man that became a professor at
the young age of 42, to a man that left science and got all of his degree in
Business Administration, and other areas that others would not have ventured
in. And I say to you that you were well prepared. And God gave you the
enablement. Not only are you a man of God, but you are also a servant of God
and all of these complimentary things are the things that have helped you to
have come out without any blemish, without any stain and your head raised up
high at this very difficult time of the nation,” the governor added.
Mr Sanwo-Olu also noted that the book would reveal and
showcase the stewardship and all of the things that he has gone through.
“I am sure it will make a good read, it will be something
that all of us will take lessons from that will shape our lives in better
form,” he said.
The Chairman of the organising committee for the event and a
longstanding friend of Mr Ogundipe, Lekan Ajisafe, said: “The book is a great
work of art that showcases the life and achievement of a great icon. I am
grateful that we can celebrate him while he is with us and show the world how
much his light has radiated people’s lives.
“We all can attest to the fact that road of life is never a
smooth one. It comes with its ups and downs, even at the moment when we least
expect it.”
Mr Ajisafe said only the strong and resilient can get to the
end of the tunnel in life “with God by their side”.
“I know that at one point or the other God has given
Professor Ogundipe limes, but one certain thing I know about him is that he’s
got that ability to make lemonade out of that lime. I assure you that you will
learn a lot from the life of the captain himself,” he added.
The book
The reviewer of the book, another longstanding friend of the
celebrator, Kolawole Kassim, a professor, noted that “the book is an account of
the five-year stewardship of Mr Ogundipe, and a resource material “for those
who are willing to tap from the immense experience of a quintessential
administrator.”
He said: “The book is a 210-page photo book authored by Mr
Ogundipe, supported by seven other cerebral contributors. It is a six chapters
photo book designed to present in pictorial form the several projects,
activities or stripes taken by Mr Vice Chancellor and his team to reposition
the University of Lagos as the University of first choice in Nigeria.
“Unlike the typical private business setting arrangement
where the organisation will set the milestone to be achieved by the potential
manager, Mr Vice Chancellor, on his own and by himself was responsible for
setting the milestone.
“Photobooks are a great way to display your photos and allow
you to tell the stories.”
Mr Kazeem, the immediate past Provost of the Osun State
College of Education, Ilesa, added that the author identified six cardinal
points with a focus on his five-year plan in the chapters, which he noted
include “uncompromising academic standards and excellent research output,
networking globally, and improving the university finances,” among others.
Mr Ogundipe was born on 31 May 1960. He attended Obafemi
Awolowo University (OAU), where he obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in
Botany.
He also holds a Master’s in Botany from OAU and a doctorate
(PhD) from the same university.
He proceeded to the University of Lagos to obtain a Master’s
in Business Administration.
Mr. Ogundipe began his academic career at the University of
Lagos as a lecturer 1 where he rose to the rank of professor of Botany in 2002.
He was appointed as the vice-chancellor of the University of
Lagos in November 2017. Until his appointment, he was the deputy
vice-chancellor on the campus.
Mr. Ogundipe was removed as the Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Lagos by the university’s governing council following accusations
of financial impropriety and gross misconduct. He was, however, reinstated by
President Muhammadu Buhari based on the recommendation of an investigative
panel which found that the removal did not follow due process.
.jpeg)
0 comments:
Post a Comment