On Thursday July 27, 2017, the great Obafami Awolowo University Ife, Osun State celebrated and honored an illustrious son of Ikorodu and a renowned scholar, Kunle Ade Wahab as a Professor Emeritus, an academia with-out borders/boundaries, recognized and accepted worldwide.
With this recognition, Wahab has joined other distinguished academicians who belong to this global intellectual community of distinguished brains who are honored everywhere they go.
To show how important this award is for this proud son of Ikorodu the University of Ife declared a special day for him as part of activities to mark the 35th anniversary of the department/faculty he founded and headed.
The Faculty of Environmental design and management of the University which metamorphosed from Estate Management was pioneered by Prof Kunle Wahab who became the head of department and later the Dean of the faculty when it became EDM. The faculty had planned to honor this eminent Professor (Wahab) during its 30th anniversary but the plan could not be actualized hence it was shifted to this 35th anniversary when a week long program of activities was arranged in Prof. Kunle Ade Wahab’s honour
The university decided to celebrate this scholar who had trained (lectured) 66 Students who are now professors in that field.
Trust Prof. Wahab when he wants to do a thing, he does it well. Though a shy person who would not want to blow his own trumpet, he bowed to several pressures including publicizing this event. He has always believed that his works should speak for him and not the other way round.
Oriwu Sun and some Ikorodu eminent persons persuaded Prof. Wahab to accept the great contribution he has made to Ikorodu, to Lagos State and to the country which cannot be swept under the carpet. They ought to be highlighted without compromising his (Wahab’s) personality of modesty and not self-seeking publicity. When he eventually accepted that this is a media event worth promoting and projecting, trust this man he went to work to arrange the trip from Ikorodu to Ife.
He arranged breakfast in the bus provided by the Publisher of Oriwu Sun, Monzor Olowosago, for 14 persons and later that day Thursday, July 27, 2017 lunch for 17 persons who travelled from Ikorodu two of who are his sons and grandson.
The Dean of the Faculty of EDM, Professor B. Tajudeen Aluko for 30 minutes spoke glowingly about Prof. Wahab.
He went into memory lane tracing the journey Deanship of the faculty by Prof. Wahab recalling the opportunity he (Aluko) had twice to listen to Wahab during Project Planning and Control Programs and said that Wahab was not only for the University of Ife but there is no university offering Environment Design and Management in Nigeria and outside that does not know of Wahab or heard about him. In short, this man has contributed intellectually to most institutions offering this course.
No wonder it was not difficult for other professors andthe university to honour this great scholar with the Emeritus honor by consensus.
The Dean thanked the Almighty God who brought Wahab (then a lecturer in Ghana) back to Nigeria to develop this faculty in OAU.
He concluded his speech by appreciating all the distinguished professors and guests who graced the occasion stressing that Prof. Wahab is one man God used to establish and develop Environmental Design in Nigeria.
The Vice Chancellor of the university Professor Eyitope Ogunmodede described Wahab as a great forerunner noting that it is not easy to pioneer a project or set up an institution, but it is easier to build on an already established structure.
When a structure has been established by another, it is easier to continue building on it, he said. He recalled that Wahab is not only a Professor Emeritus, he was also former Special Assistant to former president Obasanjo on Due Process.
Before he sat down, the V.C. acknowledged all the eminent Professors at the event and prominent Nigerians from all walks of life who came to celebrate this intellectual giant, Prof. Wahab.
He appreciated the opportunity given to him to unveil the book written in honor of Professor Kunle Ade Wahab entitled “Meeting Nigeria Housing Need” which was edited by J.A.T Aluko, Oludolapo O. Amoke, and Olorunfemi O. Olojede.
According to him, he had the conviction that the book was going to improve academic learning and will also enhance the advancement of the professions, which the emeritus Professor, Wahab worked hard to build.
He stated that in doing this, he wished him longlife in the service of humanity. In his words, “I want to say that we were highly honoured in this university to have our name as a university associated with the emeritus Professor Wahab.
Professor Ogunbodede said he (Wahab) is a rare gem and someone that everyone in the society should emulate. According to him, he has contributed his own quota to the development of the university. He encouraged the students and staff of the institution to follow his footsteps so that they could live a life of achievement.
The Vice-Chancellor said that the way to improve housing in this country was to recognize the contribution of people like the Emeritus Professor Wahab and to look at what is happening around the world and ensure that we do not live in isolation.
In his view, government should also look up to the universities offering courses relating to housing to assist them so that the housing sector could be improved.
He said that in order to improve the environment, we must abide by the law of the land and that each party involved must ensure that they fulfil their part of the agreement.
As the management of this university, we will do everything possible to ensure we continue to have his name attached to our university because it is to our benefit.
Continuing, he said, “on this note we will buy twenty copies (20) of the book and it will go to all faculties in the university.
During the launch of the book co-authored by a formidable team of 37 (Thirty-Seven) erudite scholars with intimidating profiles, which include Abimbola O. Asojo, Adetokunbo O. Ilesanmi et al. The reviewer, Dr. Olorunfemi Olojede went into x-raying the 550 page publication. The launch of the book titled, Meeting Nigeria’s Housing Needs was also part of the activities for this 35th anniversary of the Faculty of EDM. Dr. Olojede said among others that the book which consists 21 well written chapters focuses on one area of Emeritus Prof. Wahab’s expertise, which is housing. He stated that the book has very rich scholarly contents and it is a veritable academic master piece. He pointed out that all those scholarly contents, notwithstanding, even students, professionals, policy-makers and the general public will find the book as a pleasant course to chart. According to him, the book has relevant graphs, maps, graphics and diagrams for purpose of illustration, in order to aid understanding.
The book was later launched by friends and associates of Prof. Wahab including the 66 Professors he had mentored in his life. A huge sum of money was realized from the exercise.
In an interview with Oriwu Sun, Professor (Mrs.) Bolanle Araba appreciated Prof. Wahab in this manner, “Professor Kunle Wahab is a juggernut, doyen of the building profession and a pride of our profession because he is the first professor of building not only in Nigeria but in Africa.
He has been a president of the Nigeria institute of building .Prof. Wahab also served on the board of the Nigerian institute of Building. He was the chairman of the accreditation committee and chairman of the practice committee.”
The Chairman, College of fellows, Nigeria institute of Building, Builder (Mrs.) Bolanle Araba said that the book would be of tremendous value to the students because Professor Ade Wahab is a scholar, who has done a lot of researches in the housing sector. According to her, Prof. Wahab and housing are synonymous.
She said that as a Builder, one needs to be aware of threats to building like heavy down pour and use the services of professionals to build, plan, process and deliver.
Now it was the turn of Professor Wahab, the man of the moment to speak, he said, “I look at the faces of people here and remember that my foundation began by the lock we all laid in this place. One of the launchers, Mr. Bauzu was my first post-graduate student in construction management and he was a one man student.
Mr. Bode Adedeji was one of our students in Estate Management. He was the first member of our post-graduate school under this faculty. I want to give a token of one hundred thousand naira (#100, 000) to the faculty of Environmental Design and Management.”
He further stated, the homage we are paying today is to the department of Estate Management, which came in 1971, July 3rd to establish as an active head of department.
The ceremony came to a close at about 3.30pm. No doubt, it was one of the happiest days for Prof. Wahab an illustrious son whose main predetermination is how to bring development to Ikorodu division. He remains a powerful writer who has command of impeccable English language.
More than 100 professors, 500 university students, scores of lecturers and university staff and friends of Professor Wahab from the academic community and outside it witnessed the event to celebrate a man who contributed immensely to the wonderful environmental and landscape designs of this great university of Ife.
