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By Oluseye Ojo
Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has commended the University of Ibadan for honouring a former Minister of Education, the late Prof Sanya Onabamiro, who discovered water flea cyclops, related to the immediate hosts of the guinea-worm in one of the Nigerian rivers, which was named after him as Drancunculus Onabamiroid in the international scientific journals.
The occasion was the naming of the Postgraduate Administrative Building of UI after Onabamiro and his 40 years remembrance memorial lecture, which was held in the university yesterday.
Onabamiro also made a significant discovery of the route of the Guinea-worm parasite in the early stages of its development in the mammalian body in the 1950s.
Obasanjo and dignitaries, including a former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Vice Chancellor of UI, Prof Kayode Adebowale; former vice chancellor of the university, Prof Olufemi Bamiro; Prof Ayodele Desalu, Prof Ayo Bamgbose and Prof Segun Onadeko, as well as children of the deceased, among whom are Prof Modupe Onadeko, and Miss Enitan Onabamiro, unveiled the signage of the name of Sanya Dojo Onabamiro Postgraduate College Building.
Obasanjo, in his remarks, noted that the honour for Onabamiro by UI might be a bit late, “but better late than never. Therefore, I thank the University of Ibadan.
“My thanks again, go to the family; may you all be survived by good children. Not forgetting your patriarch, parents, grandparents, is a very good thing. In our culture, we never forget our source. Any river that forgets its source will dry up.
“Whatever you are, your background will remain your background. You should continue to nourish it. You should continue to appreciate it. Of course, Prof Onabamiro left a remarkable legacy that should never be forgotten.”
The UI Vice Chancellor, Adebowale, said the institution decided to name the administrative building of the Postgraduate College after him in recognition of his immense contributions to Nigeria’s premier university, and the society at large.
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The unveiling of the signage was followed by lectures and celebration of Onabamiro’s legacy, a former Minister of Education, who also served as Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources in the early 1960s. The second event was held at the Trenchard Hall of the institution for the first black man to receive a doctorate degree from any British colonial university in Africa.
Chairman of the occasion, Prof Desalu, in his remarks, noted that honouring Onabamiro 40 years after his death was remarkable.
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Kola Daisi University, Prof Olajumoke Morenikeji, a parasitologist, who delivered a lecture on the topic: ‘Professor Sanya Dojo Obabamiro as a Research Scientist,’ said Onabamiro pioneered efforts that eventually led to the eradication of guinea-worm in Nigeria.
She added that the World Health Organisation (WHO), has declared the country has attained the technical status of guinea-worm free.
Also, the Vice Chancellor, Trinity University, Prof Clement Kolawole, in the second lecture, entitled: ‘Professor Sanya Dojo Onabamiro as an Educationist,’ noted the educational achievements of the honouree, and how the Fuwagboye of Ago-Iwoye added to the body of knowledge across the globe.
Miss Enitan Onabamiro, daughter of the late scholar, who welcomed dignitaries to the lectures, appreciated the fact that 40 years after the passing of her father, when many people would have been forgotten, her father was remembered and honoured by UI. She lauded the management of UI for the honour. She also charged all and sundry to make excellence their watchword. She promised that the family would continue to uphold the legacies of their deceased patriarch.
Miss Onabanke Onabamiro, who spoke on behalf of the children, described their late patriarch as hardworking, brilliant and someone that put in his best in all he did, saying, “We are very proud of our father. He made scientific discoveries. He was a good father to us. The virtues we learnt from him are still shaping our lives positively till today.”
Speaking on behalf of the grandchildren, Toyin Odumade, a lawyer, noted that her grandfather was caring, generous, visionary and a lover of quality education.
