Kunle Adelabu
-Receives outstanding achievement award
The celebration of one of the newest scholars that attained their doctoral status at the Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom last Wednesday, Dr. Nurudeen Alowonle Oshinlaja, continued at the weekend, with a special dinner in Igbogbo.
The dinner, organized by the Lekan Aroyewun Project (LeAP), a political, developmental and community development body which Dr Oshinlaja is its Director – General, was well – attended by wife, children and family of the celebrants, as well as prominent youths, representatives of youth groups and the Chairman of the Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Builder Sesan Daini.
At the event held at the Colour Party House, along Igbe Road, Oreyo, Igbogbo, Oshinlaja, who was also a former President of Igbogbo Students’ Union (ISU), was presented with award of outstanding achievement, in recognition of his academic feat and positively propagating Igbogbo Kingdom to the world.
Mr Gbenga Odunniyi, the immediate past President, Igbogbo Youth Coalition (IYC) and a chieftain of the LeAP, who spoke on behalf of the platform at the dinner, explained the concept behind the celebrations, stating that Oshinlaja is not the first to get a doctoral degree, but the group is celebrating him because he is exceptional.
“We have been celebrating Nuru, and today organising this dinner as part of his doctoral degree celebration, not because he is the first Igbogbo son to attain such height in academic career, but because he is an exceptional personality”, he said.
“He has been exceptional since his primary school through secondary school days. Even in his university days, he was one of the best in UNILAG. He has been an honoured personality since his childhood.
“For this consistency and for achieving this lofty feat, I don’t think that it’s too much to celebrate him in our own little way. This is our way of saying that he is our person and worthy of our person. By the time he gets his professorship, it will be a big celebration that we are going to include our revered royal father, the Alaiyeluwa and other important personalities in Igbogbo, to in celebrating him.
“He is a person that people are looking up to, even those older than him. People always say that he’s gentle, but don’t mistake that, because during our childhood days at Itun – Abosan, those that know him are aware that he is calm but he doesn’t let go of anything that he believes in. That is a common trait with Abosan people.
“I believe that his recent feat is just God’s doing and his commitment to develop himself. He is not just an outstanding science student, but has an ACA. That means that he is a chartered accountant. He embarked on his accounting profession and got his honour at a stretch. You can imagine that kind of brain that God has given him.
“He deserves this and he deserves more. He is a person that no amount of celebration can be too much for, because he has propagated this community’s glory to the extent beyond our expectations.
“The day he was given the award as the overall best student in UNILAG, during the time of the former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Omotola of the blessed memory, I was marveled because a son of Igbogbo was honoured as the overall best. It was a thing of joy for me and I was the proudest among my course mates, because he was from my town. We are also from the same house and not only town, that is Itun Abosan.
“He is always proud of Igbogbo, and he’s always mentioning where he is from. He also mentioned it in his appreciation message after he was widely celebrated for his doctoral degree, when he recalled a session during his UNILAG days that a lecturer asked anyone willing to answer a difficult question to do so and mention his home town. He also mentioned his primary and secondary schools before answering the question.
“He was bold enough to mention his home town and schools before answering the question and he did not disgrace us. His answer gave him recognition in UNILAG, which he has sustained. So, it’s not too much to celebrate Nurudeen Oshinlaja. Thank you for making us proud, Dr Nurudeen Oshinlaja.
Speaking with THE IMPACT, Mr Hameed Olalekan Aroyewun, a former aspirant for the Ikorodu Constituency II seat in Lagos State House of Assembly and the LeAP symbol, said that the dinner is a way to let the scholar knows that he is appropriated and encouraged to do more.
“This is just the little that we can do to honour him, and as a token of appreciation for all that he has been doing. Although, he’s abroad, we always feel his presence. We know and acknowledge his unequal dedication and commitment to Igbogbo and its development”, he said.
“It is also important that we celebrate his recent feat. Through this attainment of a milestone in his academic pursuit, he has place Igbogbo on the global reckoning and we believe that he will still go further to break more barriers and achieve more feats”.
“Once again, congratulations to Dr Nurudeen Oshinlaja”.
Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, who said that he was admitted at UNILAG, during same session as the celebrant, but did not know that they are from same town or their paths cross, because they pursue different lines of engagements while on campus, commended the newest doctor for the feat.
“I want to thank the organizer of this programme – Lekan Aroyewun Project, for this celebration. It is not because we are celebrating a friend and brother alone, but the need to let us know that there is reward for being dedicated and committed to a good cause”, he said.
“Even though, we were admitted into UNILAG at the same time, our paths never crossed and we did not know that we are from the same town. The reason is simple: while he was the reading type, I pursued another line of engagement which is normal on campus because we all have our areas of specialization.
“But we thank God today, we are all doing well in our areas of specialization. I thank God today that we are celebrating him”.
Builder Daini appreciated Dr Oshinlaja’s wife for allowing him to exhibit and explore his talent by making home peaceful and not distracting him while he’s pursuing his academic dream.
“This is a challenge for us that we must always celebrate good things. Doing that encourages oithers to look at what is to be celebrated in them. In fact, in whatever area that we find ourselves or no matter what we do, there is always excellence to pursue, not just in education”, Daini charged.
Mrs Aminat Abolore Oshinlaja, wife of the celebrant, in her response at the dinner, appreciated the organisers, youths and entire people of Igbogbo, for the honour done to his husband since the conferment of the doctorate degree on him.
She described her husband as a calm person who loves education.
“He is a calm person who loves education. Achieving this doctorate is one of his greatest desires”, she said.
“He is a very caring husband and loving father. He loves his family and friends. He always puts everybody to heart and is a very interactive person”.
The representatives of the Oshinlaja family, Mr Kabiru Adekoya, while also speaking, thanked the organisers and entire youths for the honour done to the family.
Others that spoke at the dinner: Mr Dauda Oshinlaja, Supervisory Councilor for Environment, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Mr Idris Adeshina, General Secretary, Igbogbo Day Planning Committee, Barr. Lele Bakare, a legal practitioner and prominent youth figure, Mr Kunle Shopitan, a prominent youth figure, representatives of the Igbogbo Youth Coalition (IYC) and colleagues of Dr Oshinlaja in secondary school among others, also described him as a supportive and caring friend, selfless leader who put others first, an understanding fellow and a God fearing man.
Master Ramadan Oshinlaja, son of the celebrant, read his profile. Other children of the celebrants at the dinner were: Rihana Oshinlaja and Rofeek Oshinlaja.
Other prominent figures and guests at the dinner were: Comrade Kazeem Ogunmuyiwa, President, IYC, Mr Tunde Okusanya, Prince Adesegun Oyefusi, Barr. Adeleke Aroyewun, Dr Adeleke Dankuwo, Mr Hameed Sholanke, Mr Mutiu Ogunyemi and Mr Muiz Aroyewun among others.
