Of course, those who knew when Prof. Ayodele Olajide Falase took over as the ninth VC of the Nigeria’s premier university on September 25, 2000 could testify to the fact that life on campus in Ibadan was hellish and brutish: students population had bulged exponentially on account of various diploma courses mounted by many departments, the campus then was like gyroscopes, spinning around at a frantic pace, but not getting anywhere. Many students of that time displayed their adolescent fiesta of frivolities as a result of a near state of anarchy, with observers standing and staring, waiting and wondering whether a “savior” may come.
Determined to restore sanity, Prof. Falase whose humble disposition sharply contradicted the expected needed iron hand to clear the mess soon announced through his action, that his natural humility was not a sign of cowardice, neither his meekness a sign of weakness as his humility and meekness were in fact, his spiritual powers. He began to reconstruct the institutional templates with an uncommon gusto.
Prof. Falase who was willing to endure ridicule in the interest of general rectitude, announced that his greatness as the VC would be his strength to say no when everything and everyone else seemed to be swept away by a certain madness that benumbed the senses. He thought like a man of action and acted like a man of thought.
He confronted the situation headlong. All the illegal stalls on campus where students drank and smoke were destroyed. The senate under his administration cancelled almost all the diploma courses which gave rise to the population explosion. The senate as well, as a way of curtailing the raging menace, drastically reduced admission quota from 7,000 to 3,500 thereby making admission process highly competitive. Prof. Falase moved to halls of residence, confronting the challenges with grit and gravitas.
Today, Prof. Falase is 70years old, having been born 4 January, 1944. His life has been as impactful as it is eventful. A scholar par excellence, he does not joke with serving his God through playing piano in his All Saint Anglican Church, Jericho Ibadan. Prof. Falase is a man of courage who does not run away from battles no matter how fierce. Perhaps, one of his philosophies is found in the words of Aristotle who says “you will never do anything in this world without courage as it is the greatest quality of the mind next to honour.”
As he celebrates his platinum 70 years of his existence on earth, one can only wish him more years of peaceful enjoyment in the land of the living.
Sunday Saanu, University of Ibadan. [email protected]
