UI dons, Ogun SDP guber candidate, others seek awards for living legends

Honour Indian environmental health professor

The 2023 governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ogun State and former Commissioner for Environment in the state, Toyin Ojeshina; the Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun; the Dean, Faculty of Public Health of the university, Prof. Godson Ana and others have stressed the need for Nigeria to honour living legends who have contributed immensely to the development of the country.

They said national awards should be given to icons that have served the country meritoriously.
They made the call during the post-humous 80th birthday of an Indian-born Professor of Environmental Health of UI who died a few days before his birthday, Prof. Mynepalli Sridhar, popularly called M.C.K. Sridhar.

The event was organised by the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, UI, in collaboration with NINAAFEH and EHSAN in memory of Sridhar.”

Ojeshina said Sridhar made a lot of impacts in the conversion of waste to wealth.
He said there must be incentives for those who have made contributions to the development of the society, saying that they must be honoured and showcased to encourage others.

Omigbodun, who called on the Nigerian state to honour its icons, said the country should have done more for him.
Omigbodun said: “It is a celebration of life. He died a few days ago. He was a mentor of mentors and teacher of teachers. There are great witnesses here. He has done excellently well. He loved Nigeria even to the point of death. I wished this country should have done more for him because he served us.

“The professor ought to have been given a national award. Nigeria ought to honour its icons by providing adequate resources for them when alive – for research, creativity and innovation.”
While Ana described the Indian academic as an outstanding scholar,
the Vice Chancellor of UI, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC), Academic, Prof. Aderonke Baiyeru, said: “It is a great loss to the university because he was an eminent professor. He retired but not tired.

“He was a great scholar in the university and UI has lost one of the most hardworking foreign academic members of staff.”