LASU’s foundation VC, Professor Olumide, ‘ll be sorely missed – Okebukola

Former Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission says the late Professor ‘Folabi Olumide, the foundation vice-chancellor of Lagos State University, will be sorely missed, describing the news of his death as sad.

The former LASU VC died on Friday  at the age of 81.

- Advertisement -

Okebukola, a distinguished professor of science and computer education at Lagos State University, said the death “is one that piles on the sour narratives of the first week of this year with the loss of two other top university administrators.”

In a statement of condolence to the late professor’s family, he said, “ For me, Professor ‘Folabi Olumide’s death is particularly heartrending being the vice-chancellor when I joined the services of Lagos State University as a foundation staff in 1984 and who for 37 years tutored me in leadership and was a role model in several respects.”

- Advertisement -

READ ALSO: BREAKING:  UNILAG loses another professor to COVID-19

He described the late professor as an internationally well-regarded surgeon, scholar, lover of music, art, poetry with great dress sense, adding that Professor Olumide gave LASU a solid start in academic and physical developments and crafted the template on which many of the successor vice-chancellors situated their strategic plans.

“The LASU College of Medicine, among other far-sighted academic initiatives was a product of his vision. He did not compromise on quality and he demonstrated a high taste for excellence. He was a man who kept all angles covered as chairman of senate and who, though diplomatic in general approach and comportment, did not spare persons with divisive tendencies.

“His maxim was: ‘To make LASU great is a task that must be done’.  He doggedly led efforts to pursue this goal in spite of all odds. He must be fulfilled that today as he goes home to glory, LASU met his dream of being a great university with high international repute especially driven in the last five years by the efforts of the 8th Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun who bows out in style on January 11.”