Adeniyi: Unilorin’s senate fetes late VC

The senate of the university of Ilorin Wednesday conveyed it’s 281st special  meeting in honour of late 4th vice chancellor, Professor Emeritus Adeoye Adeniyi.

Adeniyi who has unbroken record as the university’s longest served Vice Chancellor, died on September, 4, 2019 at the age of 95 years.

Adeniyi a Professor of Paediatrics and expert in child health was the Vice Chancellor of the University between 1985 and 1992 and served as Emeritus Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Child health at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) for 20 years after his retirement.

The senate members at its 281st meeting specially convened  in the deceased’s honour took turns to pour encomiums and eulogies on the late educatiinist.

Leading other seasoned academics, Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Sulyman Abdulkareem described Adeniyi as a foremost educationalist, an astute administrator and a practical medical practitioner who laid solid foundation on which others are building today.”

In a tribute at the meeting, Professor Ibrahim Katibi, Dean of Faculty of Clinical Science described late Adeniyi fondly called “Baba Agbalagba” as a trail blazer with many first and only in his record.

“The only person so far to have occupied the covetous offices of the Dean, Chief Medical Director and Vice Chancellor in the history of the university of Ilorin and indeed one of the very few in the entire country.

“He was the longest serving Vice Chancellor of the university of Ilorin, the first Professor Emeritus ever produced from the college of Health Sciences”, Katibi said.

In his tribute, a former Dean in the Faculty of Education, Professor Alfred Adegoke, said the late sage lived an exemplary life and served UNILORIN with unparalleled commitment stressing that “His words are like music in ones ears.
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“His words are gentle, soft but firm. He left no one in doubt each time he spoke that he was in charge. He spoke Queens English with dignity and elegance like no one else that I know.”

Adegoke said, ‘Under his watch, UNILORIN blossomed and deepened roots in the traditions of success that has stayed with us till this day.

Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Professor E. A Afolayan, said: “At the ripe age of 95 years, our beloved daddy answered the glorious call of the Lord. Appointment with death cannot be altered: otherwise, death would have been put on hold for you to live on.

“He has played his part wonderfully. Your memories would ever remain fresh in our minds. If gentlemanliness could be exhibited in heaven, I am certainly convinced that our beloved Professor Adeoye Adeniyi would find company with angels.”

Professor Wahab Rotimi Johnson in his tribute described late Adeniyi as, “An Icon of Paediatrics and Child Health, world class Paediatrics Nephrologist and a University administrator per excellence”.

Professor Olanrewaju Adedoyin, Provost, College of Health Sciences said, “As the CMD, he successfully established the MBBS and Postgraduate Residency Program. Post retirement, it must be put on record that due to his love for medical education and Patient care, he still continued to see patients, run the Paediatric nephrology clinic….and actively participated in the training of medical students.”

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