WHY WE HONOUR COLLEGE PROVOST

Why We honour College Provost  – Magazine Publisher

 

The publisher of The Sunshine Standard, Mr. Oludaisi Adetarami has stated that the decision of the management of the media outfit to confer Outstanding Leadership Pillar of Education Award on Dr. Samuel Akintunde, Provost of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo was in recognition of his sterling leadership qualities and “unprecedented multi-layered development brought to the institution.”

 

Adetarami made the statement in an address delivered at the magazine’s annual lecture/award ceremony held on Sunday, 11 April, 2021 at the Bliss World Hotel, Akure, capital of Ondo State.

While extolling the virtues of the Colleges chief executive officer, the Ondo State-based news-magazine publisher described Dr. Akintunde as a man of impeccable character, enormously imbued with the fear of God and gifted with high level of emotional intelligence.

 

Responding after receiving the award, Dr. Akintunde thanked the publisher of the magazine, as he expressed appreciation to principal officers of the College, leadership of all workers’ unions from the College, deans and directors, members of Rotary Club, ACE Ondo chapter, as well as staff and students from the institution, who attended the ceremony.

 

Earlier in a lecture delivered at the occasion, a Mass Communication lecturer from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Dr. Gbenga Abimbola spoke on the state of insecurity in Nigeria and proffered solutions to the problem.

 

Speaking on “Addressing Insecurity and Other Fretting issues in Nigeria’s Federation: The Available Options,” the university don described insecurity as a situation which occurs when people become afraid because of dangers they notice around them.

Dr. Abimbola took the listeners through the memory lane, gave insight into how the Nigerian federation came into existence, and concluded that by conditions of its current political arrangement and structural configuration, “The country cannot be described as a nation, but a country of many nations.”

 

The NIPR governing council member bemoaned high level of insecurity across the nation, stating that the situation has brought palpable fear and fuel speculations being expressed in certain quarters that the country is fast coming “under a siege.”

He also highlighted the activities of Boko Haram sect, farmers/herder clashes, banditry, abduction for ransom as well as hostage takings, noting that the grave situation has brought negative impact on the country and affected its socio-economic development.

 

Dr. Abimbola listed some causes of insecurity in Nigeria as unemployment, poverty, high rate of illiteracy, ethnicity and religious differences. He mentioned others as corruption, porous borders, lack of synergy among security agencies, rapid population growth, material inequalities, poor governance, climate change and controversial peace agreement signed with criminal elements by government.

 

While urging government at the three tiers in Nigeria to take urgent steps to ameliorate the situation, the mass communication scholar said failure to do so could result in social dislocation, displacement of people from their places of domicile, inhuman treatment of citizens and political instability.

As panacea, the university teacher listed four options that could be taken: entrenchment of good governance, restructuring of the country, maintaining the secularity status of the country and disintegration.

 

While expressing deep concern about current agitation for self-rule being championed by some ethnic groups in the country, Dr. Abimbola said the move “is a pointer to the fact that the current structure of the country is not working.”

 

To address the issue, the public relations specialist urged members of the political class and those currently holding leadership positions to come to the round table to discuss matters affecting the nation, stating that the step would go a long way in bringing an end to insecurity and proffer solutions to the country’s political and economic problems.

 

Meanwhile, in his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Chief Samuel Adetuyi stressed the importance of security and appealed to the government to accord priority to it.

 

Adetuyi, a retired Commissioner of Police, however, charged those in positions of leadership to exhibit patriotism and diligence in the task of nation building by “doing what is right at all times.”

 

He equally tasked citizens of the country not to leave security alone in the hands of security agencies. “Security should be seen as shared responsibility, hence, everybody has a stake in its provision,” he remarked.

 

The highpoint of the ceremony was the presentation of a plaque to the Provost, Dr. Samuel Akintunde by a Member of Ondo State House of Assembly representing Ose constituency, Hon. Sola Oluyede.

 

The occasion also featured conferment of awards and presentation of plaques to five other eminent Nigerians: Member, House of Representatives representing Ose/Owo Federal Constituency, Hon. Otunba Timehin Adelegbe; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer – New Planet Projects Ltd, Hon. Amos Ayodele Akinmulewo; Ondo State President, National Union of Local Government Employees, Comrade Bola Taiwo; A United Nation Ambassador and a frontline politician, Princess (Dr.) Mrs. Adebunmi Osadahun and  the Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Gold Foundation, Ambassador (Mrs.) Awesola Victoria Adenike.