By Olasunkanmi Olajide, Emeka Oluka & Joy Adeyiga
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), on November 21, 2024, paid a heartfelt tribute to the Pioneer Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nurudeen Olorun-Nimbe Adedipe, during the 8th-Day Fidau Prayer held in his honour at the Musical Village, Ikorodu. The event was a profound celebration of the life and legacy of a trailblazer whose indelible contributions continue to shape the University.
Recognised as the foundation and bedrock of FUNAAB’s establishment and growth, Prof. Adedipe’s remarkable achievements were eulogised by dignitaries, Academics, and Islamic leaders who gathered to honour his memory.
In a tribute titled “A Glorious Tribute to Our Root,” the 7th Substantive Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, expressed the University’s immense gratitude to the late Pioneer Vice-Chancellor for his pivotal role in shaping FUNAAB’s history. Prof. Kehinde described him as a multifaceted individual who left an enduring impact on the University. “To some, he was an erudite scholar; to others, he was a disciplinarian and administrator. To FUNAAB, he was all of these and more,” Prof. Kehinde noted.
He commended Prof. Adedipe’s visionary leadership, which laid the foundation for FUNAAB to become a centre of academic excellence and global relevance.
Reflecting on the late Pioneer Vice-Chancellor’s autobiography, “His Light in My Path, Sunny All the Way,” Prof. Kehinde emphasised Prof. Adedipe’s unwavering commitment to academic excellence and impactful research, which set FUNAAB on a bright path. “As FUNAAB stands today, celebrated for its achievements, it is evident that none of this would have been possible without Prof. Adedipe. He truly is our root,” Prof. Kehinde remarked.
He further expressed the University’s profound sense of loss, stating, “His departure leaves a void, but we find solace in the belief that he rests in the embrace of Almighty Allah. May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest in Al-Jannah Firdaus.”
Delivering the sermon, the Grand Chief Imam of Ikorodu Division, Shaykh Saifudeen Oloworibi, called on Muslims to lead righteous lives and emulate Prof. Adedipe’s dedication to service, excellence, and faith.
Meanwhile, as the University’s First Substantive Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adedipe played a key role in relocating FUNAAB from its temporary site at Abeokuta Grammar School, Isale-Igbein, to its permanent site along Alabata Road in 1997. This feat, achieved at an unprecedented pace, remained a landmark in the history of the Nigerian University System. His legacy also extended beyond FUNAAB as he played instrumental roles in the establishment of several private universities in Nigeria, some of which were the Crescent University, Abeokuta; Fountain University, Osogbo, and Caleb University, Lagos, among others.
The Fidau Prayer Service, marked by Quranic recitations and prayers, concluded with a resounding commitment by the University community to uphold the ideals and standards set by the late pioneer Vice-Chancellor.
As FUNAAB mourns the loss of a foundational figure, it also celebrates a life devoted to education, agriculture, and nation-building. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
