The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) will on Monday, August 17, honour former Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Registrar, Emeritus Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Plc, Bayo Ojulari, and 29 other distinguished individuals for their contributions to the university and the nation.
Oloyede, who served as Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin from 2007 to 2012, will be recognised as an outstanding alumnus and for his service as JAMB registrar. Other major honourees include the proprietor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Chief AbdulRaheem Oladimeji; Managing Director of BOVAS Petroleum Services Limited, Victoria Adunola Samson; and chartered accountant, Chief Olusola Adekanola.
The Chairman of the planning committee, Prof. Waheed Babatunde Yahya, disclosed this during an interview with journalists in his office on August 3.
Yahya, who is also the Director of the University Advancement Centre, said the honourees were carefully selected from hundreds of nominees based on their contributions to the development of the university and the country.
The ceremony will take place at the University Auditorium from 10 a.m. under the chairmanship of the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kunle Rasheed Adegoke, will deliver the keynote address.
Nine distinguished graduates of the university will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award. They include the Olumobi of Imobi-Ijesha, Oba Jacob Adetayo Haastrup; Grand Chief Imam of Lagos State, Shaykh Sulaiman Oluwatoyin Abou-Nollah; Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Miller Dantawaye; Director-General of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, Prof. Olusegun Omoniyi Ige; and Prof. Patrick Adegoyega.
Others are Vice Chancellor of Dennis Osadebay University, Delta State, Prof. Samuel O. Aghalino; NNPC executive, AbdulRasheed Ojulari; Vice Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Prof. Lateef Folorunso Oladimeji; and Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University of Education, Prof. Medinat Folorunso Salman.
Another 18 alumni will receive the UNILORIN Ambassador Award. They include NNPC Executive Director, Finance and Accounts, Dr Abdulkadir Tunji Nagode; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sobi 101.9 FM, Ilorin, Dr Lukman Olayiwola Mustapha; Chief Mufassir and Mufti of Osogbo, Shaykh AbdulLateeff Yusuf Abajaoro; and senior military officer, Col. Kolawole Rasheed.
Other award recipients include urologist Prof. Olusola Andrews, microbiologist Prof. Olatunji Matthew Kolawole, former Dean of Student Affairs at UNILORIN, Prof. Musa Toyin Yakubu, legal practitioners Chief Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, and Aare M’sbaudeen Adeyemi Adeshina, SAN, as well as Shell International’s Vice President, Health Services, Dr Femi Oduneye.
Yahya said the university would continue to recognise deserving alumni and friends to promote hard work, excellence and patriotism. He urged family members, friends, colleagues, staff, alumni and members of the public to attend the ceremony on time.
