• Says his firmness, fairness, spartan lifestyle make him outstanding
• ‘Falase remains one of Africa’s foremost cardiologists’
The 12th Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Idowu Olayinka, yesterday, paid a glowing tribute to the ninth Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ayodele Falase, who turns 80 today.
Olayinka, who described Falase as a disciplinarian, said watching him at close quarters during his stint as the premier university’s VC his firmness, fairness, sense of justice and spartan lifestyle have always stood him in good stead while endearing him to many.
In a statement made available to The Guardian in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Olayinka recalled many roles Falase had played in his career trajectory and during his tenure as the 12th VC of the premier university.
He urged those who want to find out how to run a university with a very low budget, among many competing items of teaching and research expenditure, to learn from the Falase.
Olayinka said, among others: ”I had golden opportunities to watch Professor Falase at close quarters during his stint as our vice chancellor. His firmness, fairness, sense of justice and spartan lifestyle had always stood him in good stead while endearing him to many.”
“He is reputed as a disciplinarian. As chairman of the senior staff disciplinary committee, he ensured that the rank of the Faculty and Staff was not polluted under any guise. He restored sanity to the university campus by eradicating cultism. Many ‘students’ who entered the university with questionable credentials were expelled.
”Apart from processing my elevation to the grade of a professor, he appointed me Head of the Department of Geology during which period I concurrently represented the Faculty of Science on the University Appointments and Promotions Committee for Academic Staff in 2001/2002. I also served as Dean of the Postgraduate School for the next four years. It was to the eternal credit of Falase that his administration produced the 2005 promotion guidelines, which the university still uses till date (as amended) despite the initial protestations by a large segment of the academic members of staff.”
