Kunle Adelabu
-Adeboruwa charged honoree, other scholars to mobilise academics from Igbogbo towards development
The Igbogbo community has honoured one of its own, Prof. Olufunsho Abayomi Omobitan, on his recent emergence as the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos.
The royal father of the ancient Igbogbo community, His Royal Majesty, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, and other eminent of sons and daughters of the community, gathered on Sunday, July 9, 2023, to celebrate the scholar who is the second indigene of Igbogbo, that is occupying the exalted position in the history of the prestigious institution.
At the event organized by the First Club, Igbogbo, at the Rotary Centre in Igbogbo, where Prof. Omobitan who is a former two – term Dean of the Social Science Faculty of LASU, was honoured, Oba Kasali charged him and other sons and daughters of Igbogbo, who are in academic sector, to use their positions in mobilizing other scholars for the development of the ancient town.
Mr Olayiwola Ayeni, First Club President, speaking at the ceremony, said that the club and entire Igbogbo community are proud of the feat attained by the Professor of Economics.
He described the development as the beginning of many great things that will be happening to Igbogbo.
“We are here to celebrate our own Prof. Omobitan. This is unique. Actually, we have had a DVC from Igbogbo before, that was when LASU first started. That was Pa Odusanya who was DVC (Account), but his tenure was short-lived. He only prepared the way for you”, he said.
“We are excited that you are stepping into this special position, and as soon as we heard about it, we decided to celebrate you. We are happy to host this reception in your honour. This is just the beginning. You will still go much more higher.
“This is happening during the time of Kabiyesi. Just yesterday, Igbogbo Day USA was celebrated in New York and it was an innovation from Kabiyesi. I thank God for giving you the wisdom, knowledge and understanding to continue to move Igbogbo forward and during your time, Igbogbo will continue to move higher and higher”, he said.
The President, commending members of the club for organizing the ceremony, also congratulated Oba Kasali who he said his reign has been attracting so many developments and innovations.
“At the First Club, we want to congratulate ourselves because it is a thing of joy, that is why members in one accord, agreed to celebrate, and I thank members of our club for coming together to celebrate our own.
“This is just the beginning of many things to come to Igbogbo. I understand that the Immigration office is already on the ground and only the furniture remains for the place to be ready. I must thank Junaid who is one of our own, for ensuring that the thing is on the fast track. Congratulations to Kabiyesi. We are praying that many more things will come to Igbogbo, the land of cool beauty”, he said.
The Adeboruwa, in his royal message commended Prof. Omobitan, and said that Igbogbo, during his reign, has established good relationship with LASU’s VC, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji -Bello, which culminated into her being awarded at the last year’s Igbogbo Day celebration.
He challenged the honoree and other top scholars in Igbogbo, to mobilise other academics from Igbogbo towards Igbogbo’s development.
“Prof, I have known you for a long time. You are our brother and mentor. We are gathered here today to celebrate your Professorship and emergence as the Deputy Vice Chancellor, and I am happy that this is happening during our own time”, Oba Kasali said.
“May God be with you, guide and protect you in your new appointment. This is an appointment that is well deserving because you have served many Vice Chancellors like Prof. Jadesola, Bababunmi, Hussein, Prof Leigh, Fagbohun and now, it is time to celebrate you and we shall.
“We have lots of scholars in academics from Igbogbo in this country and abroad. Just yesterday (Saturday), I met a PhD holder from Igbogbo. He is from the Kalejaiye’s family.
“I am using this occasion to challenge all the Professors and scholars that are with us in Igbogbo, to use their offices and positions to mobilise all the academics from Igbogbo, towards the development of our community. Ikorodu is always searching for theirs and celebrating them”, the Kabiesi charged.
“We need you to bring them closer to Igbogbo, so that they can be useful for us. I am already calling on those that we know and we need your support to facilitate and make this a reality. We need to tap from their wealth of experiences.
“Prof Omobitan, I know that God is with you and that our ancestors in Igbogbo, are also with you. You have been straight forward with Igbogbo and today, you are reaping the benefits. It shall be well with you, and this will not be the limit of your achievements”, Oba Kasali prayed.
Adeboruwa also used the occasion to charge Igbogbo sons and daughters, on the need to renew their commitments towards the town.
Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Builder Sesan Daini, in his own remarks, charged the honoree to use his good office in assisting Igbogbo sons and daughters with admission into LASU.
He assured the new DVC that only qualified candidates that the community would be seeking admission for.
“I want to plead with you that your tenure should impact the Igbogbo community. Why I am saying this is because we have had issues surrounding admission for qualified youths. We are not saying that we want to jump the gun, but we want you to assist qualified youths with admission. We will be rushing to you from time to time for support for admission”, he said.
“I would also be looking at how we can also encourage our younger ones on tutorials to make them get good results and make it easier for you to assist with their admission.”
In all, thank you for promoting Igbogbo. Thank you for making history in Igbogbo, and thank you for bringing us into the history of LASU. By the grace of God, this will not be the end of such feat for Igbogbo”, he said.
Mr Waheed Kasali, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service, who delivered a keynote address, said that Prof. Omobitan’s track records assisted him in his emergence as the new DVC.
He also stated that Igbogbo is blessed with many resourceful people and charged leaders in ensuring that the community taps into Prof. Omobitan’s office and other opportunities, in developing youths and the Igbogbo community.
“The track records of Prof. Omobitan helped him in his emergence as the new Deputy Vice Chancellor. He has done a lot for the Economics Department in LASU and Igbogbo”, he said.
“Igbogbo is really blessed with many of her sons and daughters attaining leadership positions, but how do we leverage on that?”, he asked.
“Igbogbo must tap into this and other opportunities given to us. We will use these opportunities to develop our youths and prepare them to meet the demands and reality of today. We need to build up our youths to be in tandem with the 4th industrial revolution in the 21st century, to create realities that define knowledge and technology, creativity and innovations, solution proffering and collaboration.
“Igbogbo must leverage on the Prof. Omobitan’s position to mentor her youths towards academic excellence”, he said.
He also charged youths of Igbogbo to leverage on the opportunities and the experience of elders.
Comrade Kazeem Ogunmuyiwa, President, Igbogbo Youth Coalition (IYC), speaking on behalf of the youths, described the reception as a mentoring and challenge to the youths.
He congratulated the Professor on the feat, and equally charged him to use his good office in assisting Igbogbo, to produce many other scholars.
In his own speech, Prof.Olufunsho Omobitan, said that the prophecy of the former Commissioner for Tourism, Chief (Mrs) Adebimpe Akinsola, at a meeting, came to pass with his election.
The new DVC, who described himself as a full born Igbogbo man, pledged to use his new office to advance his community.
“ Hon. Akinsola and l met one day at the home of the Chief of Staff (to the Governor), Mr Tayo Ayinde, where she introduced me to politicians at the place as the incoming Deputy Vice Chancellor. Shortly afterwards, I became the Deputy Vice Chancellor. The prophecy that she said that day, which I claimed, has come to a reality. Thank you very much”, the DVC said.
“I am a full blood Igbogbo son and not half. My father and my mother were from Itungbodo and Itunmoku in Igbogbo. To me, wherever I am, Igbogbo comes first”.
While tracing his leadership position and challenges encountered in various capacities in LASU up to the time that he became the DVC, Prof. Omobitan thanked his Vice Chancellor and Prof. Michael Ajetunmobi, for their support.
“Since I joined LASU, I have been acting as head of department severally, the only Vice Chancellor that I did not work with was late Prof. Folabi Olumide, the pioneer VC. From Prof. Jadesola Akande, Akinsode, Abisogun Leigh, Hussein, Obafunwa, Fagbohun and others that succeeded him, I worked under them as acting head of department. I had been acting head of department in LASU, for seven times. I also became the Director, MBA Programme”, he said.
“I want to thank my senior Professor seated here, Prof. Ajetunmobi. While I was the Director of the MBA Programme then, it was a tug of war. People rose up against me, but he stood by me. He was not only teaching in the programme but also volunteered to administer examinations for me. He will tell me, Director, go and sit in your office, it is our job to do that.
“After that, I became the Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, through election. At the expiration of my first term as the Dean, I put in again for the second term, but other members rose up against me on the ground that if I have the second term, when will it be their own turn. There are so many other Professors, but I put in and won the election for the second term, as the Dean”, he recalled.
“In her absence, I would like to appreciate my VC, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji Bello, mni, for showing interest in me, which I cannot even explain why. She was a God-sent. I can remember that her first outing on resumption as the VC was in my faculty for the orientation programme for our newly admitted students.
Speaking on how he became the DVC, Prof. Omobitan said:
“When the position of the Deputy Vice Chancellor became vacant, there was a lot of politics. The two former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Muyiwa Noah and after him, Prof. Elias, both are from Ikorodu, and people were saying that they cannot allow another Ikorodu man to take charge as DVC, but I insisted that I am from Igbogbo (laughter from guests)”, he said.
“Among about 25 Professors, the VC has the prerogative to choose two because all the Professors are eligible. She, however, presented two to the Senate for election. The campaign went on, but fortunately, I was one of the two that she presented, confirming that she was God-sent. The other Professor that was picked to contest against me was from Epe Division and there was a campaign that Ikorodu Division cannot present three DVCs in succession, but I insisted that I was from Igbogbo (another round of laughter from the guests.)
“We went into the election, but I thank God that l won with 132 votes to 65 votes”, he said.
He further pledged his commitment to his town, stating that:
“This seat that I am presently occupying is not only for me but for Igbogbo. This reception was organized by the First Club, but here we have an Igbogbo community, and I could see many of my childhood friends that we grew up together”.
“The President of the Igbogbo Youth Coalition said that I must have been doing so much before, but that it is not enough, and I promised to continue to do my best for Igbogbo”, he said.
Prof. Omobitan also pledged not to be too far from the Adeboruwa palace, while thanking the First Club and the entire Igbogbo, for the reception.
At the ceremony reception were Olori Sekinat Kasali, wife of Adeboruwa, Asiwaju Olofunmi Basorun, GAC chieftains, Chief (Mrs) Adebimpe Akinsola, former Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Motunde Ogunlaja, President, Igbogbo Development Association (IDEA), Pa Olatunji Bakare, former Vice Chairman, Ikorodu LG, Pa Okusanya, a community leader, Prof. Micheal Ajetunmobi, Vice Chairman, Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG), Mrs Kemi Kalesanwo, Director, Lagos State Government and Member, Governing Council, Lagos State University (LASU), Dr Omotunde Ogunlaja, President, Igbogbo Development Association (IDEA), Engr. Lateef Oduntan, General Secretary, IDEA, Mr Bisi Sanda, former Executive Director, Wema Bank, Chief Jelili Oduntan, Balogun Igbogbo, Chief (Mrs) Karimot Jokotade Ojikutu, Iyalode of Igbogbo among others.
