UNILAG holds special Senate for Late VC, Ibidapo-Obe

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By Gabriel Dike
The University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka on Wednesday held a special Senate in honour of late former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, who died on January 3rd, 2021 due to COVID- 19 complications.
The special Senate was attended by principal officers of UNILAG, former VCs, deputy VCs, professors, retired colleagues, family members of late Prof. Ibidapo-Obe, his wife, Mrs. Olusola Ibidapo-Obe, his children and Alumni Association.
At the special Senate, late Prof. Ibidapo-Obe was described as an accomplished scholar of global repute and with over 100 publications in international journals.
Among those who paid tribute to late Ibidapo-Obe, were former Pro-Chancellor of UNILAG, Aare Afe Babalola, General Overseer, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Worldwide, Dr. D. K. Olukoya, Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro.
Others who acknowledged his giant strides in the Nigerian University System (NUS) include VC of Mountain Top University, Prof. Elijah Ayolabi, former UNILAG VC, Prof. Rahamon Bello, many deputy VCs, deans, Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Federal Universities and Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, current VC of UNILAG.
In their tributes, Senate members recalled his contributions to the development of UNILAG, NUS, System Engineering and Faculty of Engineering.
In his tribute, UNILAG VC, Prof. Ogundipe, described late Ibidapo-Obe as an Icon, a strong force to be reckon with in NUS and made history on account of being the first Alumni to become vice chancellor of the university.
Ogundipe said the late VC repositioned UNILAG as one of the best in Africa, adding “his laudable leadership and achievements won him the award of the best VC in Nigeria. His enduring legacies and footprints will remain for many years to come.”
“The university will miss Prof. Ibidapo-Obe greatly, however, we are consoled by the fact that he lived a life of service to this university and his legacies in the NUS will forever be remembered, ” Ogundipe noted.
Afe Babalola said late Prof. Ibidapo-Obe made giant steps on the sand of times and that it will be difficult to replace him in the academic World because of the stellar qualities inherent in him.
According to him, with the cooperation of the university management under his leadership and our ever-supportive council, we recorded a lot of milestone achievements during my seven-year tenure.
Pastor Adeboye in his tribute, said he had known Ibidapo-Obe since 1970s as a student in the Department of Mathematics while he was a young lecturer.
“He demonstrated, even then, that he was going to be one of the greatest mathematicians, at least in Africa. So, I was not surprised when he became the VC of the university.”
Dr. Olukoya said Ibidapo-Obe used his post-career period to make unimpeded impacts on academia, national life and on the sand of times.
Olukoya explained that he etched his name in gold in Nigeria’s hall of fame as outstanding academic who came, who saw, who meritoriously conquered.
The Secretary General, Committee of Vice Chancellors, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, described Ibidapo-Obe as honest and hard-working academic who gave his best to the NUS and humanity.