UNILAG Holds Special Senate Session For Late VC, Ibidapo-Obe

Emotions ran high on Wednesday in the eyes of colleagues and friends of the late former Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe as the Senate of the university held a special session in his honour.

Ibidapo-Obe, a Professor of Systems Engineering passed on last Month, January at the age of 71 and his remains are yet to be buried.

At the event, tagged “A Day of Tributes,” and held at the main auditorium of the university in Akoka, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, described the late senior colleague as a born scientist who made sterling contributions to scientific knowledge in the areas of Engineering, Control and Information Systems, among others.

He said Ibidapo- Obe was also part of the pioneering efforts in the development and application of robotics, especially in the area of Sensors and Actuators Placement in Africa and also a well-sought school administrator.

He added that “His tenure as the eighth Vice-Chancellor of this great university was a storied one with many feats recorded by staff and students.”

In his own tribute, the immediate past VC of the university, Prof. Rahamon Bello, recalled that he first met Ibidapo-Obe in 1975 at the University of Waterloo in Canada during their postgraduate studies and since then they remained close friends till he died.

Also, Prof. Ayo Ogunye, an older colleague of the deceased said among the 10 UNILAG scholars that did postgraduate studies at Waterloo University, Ibidapo-Obe was a strong pillar.

He said among the said 10, nine became professors, three became vice-chancellors and one became a deputy VC.

The Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Prof. O. M Sadiq, on his part, said Prof Ibidapo- Obe was a great mentor to many in the faculty including himself.

He noted that the deceased was the type that would want people to prove their competence in whatever assignment given to them.

However, a commendation service was later held also in his honour at the University Chapel.

Ibidapo-Obe, an Ijesha man from Osun State died on January 3, this year and was the eighth substantive VC of UNILAG and the first alumnus to become the VC of the institution.

The surprise visit made on Friday night by the leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to former President Goodluck Jonathan at his residence in Abuja triggered a stir in the major political camps, resulting in at least four possible theories..Tributes as UNILAG Tributes as UNILAG