A former Executive Secretary of the Natiional Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Peter Okebukola on Saturday mourned the death of the first Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Professor Folabi Olumide, whodied on Friday at the age of 81 after a brief illness.
In a statement made available to news men by the former NUC boss who also acted as the Vice Chancellor of the University, he noyed out that the deceased laid an unbeatable solid foundation for the Institution which today earned it a status of World Class University amongst others .
Prof Okebukola who is the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Natiional Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, described the deceased as “an internationally well-regarded surgeon, scholar, lover of music, art, poetry with great dress sense.
According to him, “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
“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 this year”.
Prof Okebukola expressed deepest condolence to the Olumide Family and to the LASU community and prayed God to grant the deceased internal rest.
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