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By Gabriel Dike
Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, immediate past VC, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Prof. Oluwole Familoni, former Deputy VC’
Regional Pastor, Region 20 The City of David Parish Headquarters, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos, Pastor Kayode Pitan and Prof. Temitope Jaiyeola (chair occupier), and other academicians have commended the General Overseer, The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye for the endowment of a N50million professorial chair in Mathematics to boost research and study of the course.
They made the commendation at 3rd Chair Occupier’s Public Lecture titled: “Algebraic Structures and their Applications to Cryptography and Complex Systems”.
In her speech, Prof. Ogunsola, appreciated the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Adeboye for endowing the professorial chair in Mathematics in the Department of Mathematics.
Ogunsola said the professorial chair is meant to promote the study of Mathematics in the university and that the gesture is yielding positive results.
The VC noted that the university is ready for collaboration with other organisations and individuals in several areas and commended the Church for the professorial chair.
The Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ogundipe, said the 3rd Chair Occupier’s Public Lecture of the Pastor E.A. Adeboye Professorial Chair in Mathematics is about the celebration of wisdom, vision, and scholarship.
He said Pastor Aeboye has shown that true leadership embraces both the spiritual and the intellectual, adding, “his endowment of this Chair is a seed of excellence, ensuring that Mathematics continues to flourish in Nigeria and beyond.”
Ogundipe, who is the Chairman, Governing Council, Redeemer University, Ede, observed: “Mathematics is the language of creation. From the stars above to the structures we build, it reveals God’s order in the universe.”
He supported his argument by quoting Psalm 19, which declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Every theorem solved is a glimpse of divine design.’’
According to him, the chair occupier is entrusted with advancing knowledge, mentoring young minds, and showing how Mathematics can drive national development and that the lecture is not just academic but a beacon of inspiration.
The former VC charged students to embrace Mathematics with courage, for it unlocks innovation, urged faculty members to continue to nurture minds with patience and rigour and leaders, to invest in Mathematics, noting, “for a nation that neglects knowledge neglects its future.”
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Chairman, Board of Trustees, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye Professorial Chair in Mathematics, Prof. Familoni, said the chair is an evidence of idea-conceived years ago that is still alive, growing and making a difference.
Prof. Familoni disclosed that the professorial chair was instituted in 2009 when he was the Dean, Faculty of Science and was privileged to receive the cheque of 50million presented by The Redeemed Christian Church of God.
He explained that the money has been diligently invested and used to appoint three professors who occupied the professorial chair and has continued to contribute to the development of the Department of Mathematics at UNILAG and the nation at large.
Familoni said the professorial chair was meant to work, strengthen teaching, deepen research, and place the university on the global mathematical map, stating, “each occupier of this chair has approached the responsibility with seriousness and integrity, ensuring that the office is not merely occupied but utilized.
“An endowment must be nurtured if it is to remain effective. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that this chair not only survives, but thrives for generations yet to come.’’
The former DVC appreciate the donor, Pastor Adeboye for the endowment in Mathematics and that his generosity gave birth to the imitative.
He added: “Gatherings like this remind us why we chose academic life in the first place. They reconnect us to the simple but powerful pursuit of knowledge.”
In his lecture, Prof. Jaiyeola said the title reflects not only his long-standing academic passion but also the intellectual journey that the chair has enabled and amplified during the 2024-2026 tenure.
He revealed that the institution of the professorial chair is a visionary recognition of the transformative power of Mathematics, adding, “it represents an investment not only in abstract thought but also in national development, capacity building, and global relevance.’’
Prof. Jaiyeola noted that the lecture is not merely a presentation of results but a reflection on a journey, one that connects deep algebraic theory with pressing real-world challenges.
He recommended the establishment of a dedicated Research Cluster on Algebraic Models for complex system to pursue grant funding and large-scale projects.
Jaiyeola said the chair can champion an annual UNILAG Mathematics Outreach to ignite passion for the subject in primary and secondary school students and should start with schools in the UNILAG community.
