President Muhammadu Buhari, Lagos and Oyo State Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Seyi Makinde, as well as some academics have mourned former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe.
Prof. Ibidapo-Obe died on January 3. He was 71.
The President, who mourned the renowned scholar in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the gap the late VC left would be difficult to fill.
He commiserated with the family and associates of the late academic.
“…The President affirms that the scholar and administrator will be sorely missed by the academia, government and the country as his sudden transition left a gap that will be difficult to fill, considering his contribution to the development of education, with a rich pedigree of being President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities and upwardly rising over the years with distinguished career.
“President Buhari condoles with students and workers of UNILAG, FTU and the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC) over the loss, as well as the government and people of Osun State.
“The President prays for the repose of the soul of the scholar, and God’s comfort for his family,” the statement said.
He said Ibidapo-Obe, who was the eighth VC of the university, was the one who interviewed him to become a professor.
“We lost our eighth Vice Chancellor, my mentor, the one who chaired the interview session I faced to become a professor; the one that had a word for every season. When I went to him in difficult times, he told me: ‘Toyin, why do you worry? Continue. They will come behind you,’” he said.
Speaking further during an interview, Ogundipe said: “His death came to me as a shock. It is yet to sink into me that Professor Ibidapo-Obe is dead. He was the one that gave the convocation valedictory talk in 1971 when he graduated as the first-class student, a product of the University of Lagos, who attended Waterloo University for his PhD in the area of Systems Engineering. He had been doing excellently well and has exhibited the university in different for a, and we are going to miss him.”
UNILAG’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics and Research), Prof. Oluwole Familoni, lamented Ibidapo-Obe’s death.
“As our VC who was there for a long time (he was there for seven years), he did a lot of things. So many developmental things happened during his tenure. He was the past President of the Nigeria Academy of Science, where I was also the Academy Secretary. He was very innovative. Last February, he did something in the academy about artificial intelligence. You would think as an old man he would not know, but he was so knowledgeable,” he said.
In a condolence message yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, Governor Sanwo-Olu said: “The late Ibidapo-Obe made lots of positive impacts and contributions during his life time to the growth and development of education in Nigeria.
“He wrote his name in gold as a scholar and administrator during his days as the President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Vice Chancellor of UNILAG and Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.
“I sympathise with students and workers of UNILAG, FTU and NUC, as well as governments and people of Osun and Oyo states over the death of Ibidapo-Obe.
“I also sympathise with the family and friends of the deceased and I pray that God will give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” he said.
In a statement yesterday in Ibadan, the state capital, by his Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, Governor Makinde said: “The news of the death of my uncle and lecturer, Prof. Ibidapo-Obe, came as a rude shock. But we submit to the will of God and pray that the Almighty grants repose to his soul.”
Okebukola: I lost a friend, brother
A distinguished Professor of Science and Computer Education, Prof. Peter Okebukola, has said the death of Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, is like the loss of a friend and brother.
In a statement yesterday, he said: “The death of Professor Oye Ibidapo-Obe is one of shock of epic proportion to me. Even now, I am unable to process the news that came filtering in from late afternoon of January 3. Can my friend of about 21 years go just like that?
“Our close interaction started while he was Vice Chancellor of UNILAG, and I was Executive Secretary of the NUC. His impressive leadership qualities and eminence of scholarship attracted him to me. Along with Professor Nimi Briggs, who was Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), we formed a trio that has remained unbroken until the cold hands of death snatched Oye. Like twins, Oye and I offered service in several national and Africa regional academic engagements and I found him a clear-headed partner and deep thinker who offered solutions to knotty problems that will overwhelm most.
“We were together on December 9, 2020, at the convocation ceremony of Crawford University where he served as Chairman of Council and I as Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT). Bubbling with energy and full of life, we had drawn up plans for 2021, but God had other plans of taking him home.
“Nigeria has lost a university administrator of special ilk and a scholar of immense lustre. I lost a friend and brother. May his soul rest in perfect peace.”
