CONGRATULATIONS TO CHRIST’S SCHOOL 73/78 SET FOR PRODUCING A PROFESSOR – (OLATUNJI BABATOLA OF UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS)
Let me use this medium to announce the appointment to full Professorship of my immediate elder brother, Dr. Olatunji Babatola (the 8th son of late High Chief Dr. J.E. Babatola, the Olora of Ado-Ekiti 1918-2014) as a Professor of Geography at the University of Lagos. It’s been an elevation long overdue. However it came after many years of dint of hardwork, immeasurable commitment to teaching and all round exceptional values, consistent research and academic collaboration, scholarship, patriotic service and due diligence. Indeed, it is a well deserved lifting.
You’re a rare breed of unfluanted academic successes, very cautious and careful in your dealings with people and readily prepared to show leadership responsibility without necessarily exploiting the benefits and privileges. You’re never a noise maker, though not an empty barrel too. Very observant, inquisitive and intelligent but still reserved and quite. You served in various capacities in Department like an unsung hero.
When I visited you as an Head of Department about a decade ago, you sat glued to computational work in your personal office in an obscure area at the University rather than enjoy the comfort of the HODs Office which is temporary to you and irrelevant. It wasn’t a comfort zone, but you preferred your workstation to dish out research work. All what matters to you is to do the job and leave the rest. No cringing, though very respectful and supportive to your superiors and very loyal to your work, even when you were trampled upon, never garrulous or outspoken.
You’re a gentleman to the core, very reserved and uncompromising in your faith and work. You remain very committed to scholarship, building people, building lifes, showing love and always there to guide your students to do right things. You were God fearing and never a people pleaser. You are unassuming, very dedicated, persevering and working to break new ground for research.
I was in the high school when you graduated from the University. You were a product of Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti where you passed out in 1978 and attended Federal School of Arts and Science, Ondo for your A/L Certificate before proceeding to University of Lagos where you came out as one of the best scholar in your Department . You were fortunate to serve there and got retained in your Department since 1983, that’s about 36 years ago. That’s so long. You were away for research abroad for awhile during the later part of your postgraduate years when I came knocking at your doors as usual only to learn of your fellowship abroad.
I can vividly recollect our bounding together at early age. You have always treated me with love and care and always open your doors to me. You prefer to inconvenient yourself for the good of others and will study through the night reading and reading, marking and making notes, no time to rest in preparing for your students and in writing papers. With red eyes, you still force yourself to class next morning to teach. Sometimes, your chair and table in the office was practically your resting place instead of the comfort of the bed at home. You lived a Spartan life, never looking back.
You will never compromise passing a student or sleeping with a lady to upgrade the score. You never abused your office, position and privileges and never never compromised . Though you can be helpful and kind even in the depth of your strictness and stickler for rules, values and ethics, you want things done in the right way. The Christ’s School spirit in you.
I remember our experience together about 32 years ago when you were in the early stages of your doctoral research and I visited you as an undergraduate in Lagos. You exposed me to rigorous research work for a young mind through data collection. You conscripted my unqualified self into the team as one of your reliable research assistants to collate shipping manifest and other maritime transport data at the Nigeria Ports Authority, Apapa, Lagos. It was a memorable experience for me that opened my eyes to fieldwork. I made a lot of money from your meagre resources as a lecturer though I contributed little to the total outcome of the quantum of work done. You were so generous to a fault and caring like our father when he decides to spoil a child or wife. You were not only a blood brother by birth, but a practical Christian and an helping heart who readily pastors his flock like a good shepherd.
Today, our family is made proud by your landmark achievement as a scholar and a leader in the academic flagship. You have made the Babatola Family of Ado-Ekiti to join the league of families producing full fledged Professors in the academia and by extension in Ekiti with this development.
Congratulations to our Olori Ebi – Dr. Opeyemi Babatola B.Sc, MBBS (Ibadan), PhD (Wales), FRCA (UK), FFPMRCA, Dip. Anast. – the Medical Guru and the entire members of the Babatola family of Ado-Ekiti. I am sure that Daddy is proud of you all in the resting hands of the Lord. The rewards of a Teacher is here. Our father laboured as a Teacher and retired as a Grade A Principal and renowned educator of his time. His son has reached the peak as a Professor too. Teacher’s reward in moulding lives often show in the lives of their children. God is good.
Special congratulations to my darling brother, his wife – Prof. & Dr. Mrs. Olatunji Babatola and the wonderful children.
Your younger brother,
Jadesola Taiwo Babatola JP
FCIA, FCAI, FNUA, FIMC, MNIM, MAUA (UK), ACIPM, PhD Research Scholar
[email protected]
(9th son of late High Chief Dr J.E. Babatola, Olora of Ado-Ekiti)
From the Facebook page of our own Jade!
Congratulations to the JE Babatola Dynasty!
