A Yoruba socio-cultural group, The Yoruba Heritage Leadership Award Platform (YHLAP), has conferred the Most Outstanding Oodua Provost of the Year 2021 Award on the Provost of Adeyemi College of Education Ondo, Dr. Samuel Akintunde.
The award presentation ceremony was held in the College on Thursday, 12 August, 2021.
Speaking on the occasion, the grand patron-cum-chairman of the group, (Chief) Dr. Peter Fatomilola stated that the award was bestowed on the Provost in recognition of his exemplary leadership qualities, good character, humility, astuteness, excellent human relations and good managerial skill.
The renowned university teacher also stated that the performance of Dr. Akintunde was evaluated and adjudged the best among his contemporaries in all other colleges of education across the entire southwest Nigeria.
He added that he was being honoured in order to boost his morale and to encourage him to do more for betterment of Yoruba race and society at large.
Speaking further on the award, Dr. Fatomilola revealed that prior to the conferment, the group through some of its members embarked on secret collation of achievements recorded by all the provosts in charge of colleges of education in the whole Southwestern part of Nigeria.
He stated that at the end of the exercise, which was undertaken through investigative-journalism approach and using parameters such as openness, transparency and probity, the ACE Provost, Dr. Samuel Akintunde, was found to be the most outstanding.
Extolling the College Chief Executive for his humility, accommodating spirit and excellent human relations, the renowned thespian advised him not to relent in exhibiting good character, stating that the development would continue to earn him respect and recognition in society.
His words: “We at the Yoruba Heritage Leadership Award Platform don’t just give an award to anybody. Our award is not for highest bidder. Rather, what we usually do is to look at the character of people we want to give award to.
“In the case of the Provost, before we consider him for the award, we examined his performance and found him worthy both in character and performance. We also observed in him the spirit of hard work, excellent interpersonal relationship, team leadership virtue, kindness and peaceful disposition.”
Emphasizing importance of good character, the renowned thespian stated that it is one of the attributes that God recognizes.
According to him, God would not consider wealth, status, positions and religious affiliation in society when judging people and granting them entry into heaven after death but would only give consideration to those who exhibit good character while on earth.
He, therefore, advised the Provost and other principal officers of the College to continue to exhibit good character, praying that the good Lord would continue to guide them in their efforts at advancing the institution to a higher level.
Responding, Dr. Akintunde thanked members of the YHLAP and Pa. Fatomilola for the award, as he lauded the group for its contributions to the promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition, especially the propagation of use of Yoruba language.
He equally stated that the conferment of the award on him and other persons from the race demonstrate the group’s interest in progress of its people, adding that the award would spur him to do more, not only in the College but also to humanity at large.
In his remarks, the spokesperson of the group, Asiwaju Ayodele expressed appreciation to College management for support and reception given to them.
He congratulated the Provost for the award, disclosing that the second leg of the award ceremony would hold at the Ile-Oodua, located within the precinct of the Ooni of Ife Palace in Ile-Ife on Friday, 17 December, 2021.
Asiwaju Ayodele further stated that Dr. Akintunde would be honoured alongside other recipients of the group’s award and would equally receive royal blessing from the Ooni of Ife, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi on that day.
Dr. Peter Fatomilola presented a medal, certificate and plaque to Dr. Akintunde at the brief ceremony held at the Old Governing Council Chamber in the institution.
Eminent personalities who witnessed the occasion included: Dr. Gbade Ikuejube (Deputy Provost), Mrs. Olufisayo Fakorede (Registrar) Mr. Ganiyu Abdul (Bursar); some members of the YHLAP Engineer Sunday Adebayo; Mrs. Ayodeji Adaramola, who represented Erelu Adaramola as well as Messrs. Adesoji Adeleke and Ayodele Asiwaju.
Others who attended the event were: Mrs. Oluseto Olatuyi (Acting Director, Information and Public Relations) Mr. Abayomi Daramola (Senior Information Officer), Mrs. Eniola Olusola Olagundoye (Senior Information Officer), Mr. Sunday Babalola (Social Media Manager), Mr. Gbenga Omotayo (Senior Foreman) and Mr. Abiola Olaide Saheed (Personal Assistant to the Provost).
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