Prof. Adedipe in an emotional mood during the official hand-over of his personal collections
of academic and research materials at the ‘Nimbe Adedipe library, UNAAB

The Septuagenarian could not fight back tears after he was obviously overwhelmed by the level of honours and outpours of adjectives, heaped on him by the University community, during the series of special programmes, designed to commemorate his 70th birthday celebrations.

Professor Adedipe momentarily betrayed emotion when called upon to give his speech and officially hand-over a section of the central library, ‘Nimbe Adedipe Library, which was stocked by his personal collections of academic and research materials.

The ‘tears of joy’ then freely strolled down the broad face of the emeritus Professor of Plant Physiology, as he mumbled amidst sobs, “Who am I, who am I, what could I have done to deserve all these. This is too much…”.

Becoming more composed after assistance from his spouse, Mrs. Silifat Olanrewaju Adedipe, who offered a white handkerchief, the Pioneer Vice-Chancellor expressed gratitude to all members of the University community for the “great honour and warm compliments” on him.

He expressed great pleasure at the current level of development in the University, describing it as tremendous, disclosing that he was most pleased with the fact that it was a formal student of his that was behind the new initiative.

He described Professor Balogun as a man of extreme vision, saying “It is my pleasures that you are the person making this happen. I am extremely grateful for all you have done. God will bless your work. God will bless your way”.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, said Professor Adedipe’s leadership rating was second to none in the annals of the institution, describing him as exemplary and classically distinguished”.

The Vice-Chancellor commended Professor Adedipe for laying the foundation of excellence for the University. He said, “You are a great man that has conferred greatness on UNAAB. You started with the concept of excellence”.

Professor Balogun assured his predecessor that his administration had religiously adhered to the principles of re-focusing, re-engineeering and re-dedication to the mandate of the University, as advised by Professor Adedipe.

The hand-over ceremony was attended by dignitaries, including the former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Adeyinka, the Oligun of Ilugun, Oba J. B. Otukoya, the Vice-Chancellor of Fountain University, Professor Oloyode, his Caleb University, Osogbo counterpart, Professor Ajayi, among others.