Video: Ex-students, Colleagues Organise 70th Birthday Party for Retiring OAU Prof.
A retiring Professor of English, Professor Olusegun Adekoya from Obafemi Awolowo University, (O.A.U) Ile-Ife has marked his 70th birthday.
The celebration took place at the University’s Conference Centre on Wednesday and was organised by his ex-students in Nigeria and abroad together with his colleagues from the department.
During the event, one of Adekoya’s ex-student and event initiator, Dr. Ademola Adesola, who is an assistant professor of English at Mount Royal University, Canada, stated he conceived the idea and also reached out to a few friends to celebrate the lecturer’s scholarship, and mentoring commitments.
He introduced the book of tributes, titled; “Celebratory Words:Tributes in Honour of Professor Olusegun Adeshina Adekoya” compiled in his honour.
“I am just reminded when the whole idea to have this celebration started; I reached out to colleagues, people like Dr. Chigbo Arthur Ayaduba, who is online here, a Professor at the University of Winnipeg in Canada, I reached out to Dr. Ayobami Olajumoke, Mr. Dimeji soon to be a Dr., Dr. Lawal.
“Dr. Pelumi who is also in the US and people like Dr. Oripeloye and a host of other people agreed that we should go ahead with this event. We put out a call for tributes and were surprised because in matters of weeks, we began to receive many, many responses…”. Ademola recounts.
He claimed that the contributors of the tributes came from different people, and places related to Prof. Adekoya.
“You would see professional colleagues, his former and current students, people outside the academia, his high school mates…” He added.
The chairperson of the occasion, Prof. Moji Olateju, also described Adekoya as a seasoned academic and an easygoing character who was always willing to help others.
“He is quiet, easygoing, and sound in knowledge. A seasoned academic. He is hard-working and highly meticulous. He gives constructive criticisms meant to make the recipient better academically. Professor Adekoya is always ready to help. Even though he is on his way out of the university, I still approached him to contribute a chapter to a proposed book on research methods for our students…”. She said.
Further, the Dean of Arts, a younger colleague of the celebrant, Prof. Niyi Okunoye stated he had known and worked with Prof. Adekoya for 25 years and confessed he knew when the plans to organise the party for him were conceived.
“Prof. Adekoya deserves all the honour and appreciation he has received and will receive. He has been an exemplary scholar, teacher, and mentor. I want to quickly stress that the Department of English is not where people do eye service. If anyone is being spontaneously honored by the alumni and lecturers in the department, the person deserves it…”. He said.
Also, at the event, the Head of the English Department, OAU, Prof. Taiwo Soneye, noted how dedicated Prof. Adekoya is when defending the weak and the vulnerable.
In part, Soneye stated;
“I have known Professor Olusegun Adekoya for about 25 years but I didn’t get to know him quite well until 2010 when he became Head of Department, English. Professor Adekoya is my father. One quality that I would like to emphasise about him is that he aligns so easily with the poor, the weak, and the vulnerable.
“That is not common in our environment. He always stands his ground anywhere for the weak and the vulnerable. He is a hard-working man who does his work with outstanding precision.’’
In a keynote address, Prof. Austine Akpuda of the Department of English Language and Literature, Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, expressed that the university don was a reliable source of reference.
“When you have anything to do with Professor Adekoya, you can be sure that you have a reliable reference point. You have someone who is going to guide you methodologically until you get to your destination.” Akpuda said.
Also, present at the pre-retirement colloquium and birthday celebration include: Heads of departments, Administrators, his colleagues from the department; the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Niyi Okunoye, Prof. Chim Anyadike, Prof. Hunsu, Prof. Gbemisola Adeoti, Prof. Chijioke Uwasomba, among others and friends who gave separate remarks in congratulating the celebrant.
In final remarks, the consummate Professor of Literature, Prof. Adekoya, who is set to officially retire from the university by the 26th of June 2023, appreciated all and said he was overwhelmed by the accolades he received.
” I am overwhelmed, it’s being so gracious, wonderful with all the beautiful comments”
Adekoya, while encouraging young scholars not to give up despite the challenges thanked the organisers and prayed that at the end of the day, everyone would have reasons to “smile”, “laugh” and “rejoice”.
Olusegun Adekoya, known for his creative writing was promoted to the position of Professor of Literature in 2003.
To his credit, he published four volumes of poetry, wrote several journal articles on the writing of Wole Soyinka, and a book on his poetry.
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