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By Promise Adiele
Many great people were born in August. Professor Elijah Adebowale Ayolabi is one of them. The occasion of his birthday presents an appropriate opportunity to celebrate the outstanding academic, administrator, mentor, and profound man of Environmental Science and Geophysics. Although some villains and scoundrel have brought disgrace to Nigeria, there are also heroes and the brave who have brought honour to the country, decorating the name in glory. Unfortunately, there seems to be a consensus across Nigeria that the country is in the doldrums, caught in the vicious stranglehold of different negativities. These conditions seem to have diminished the giant strides of individuals at the hallmark of excellence in the country.
Everyone is worried about the prevailing tempest ferociously blowing ill wind across the country. Everyone is concerned about the future of the country. Due to these conditions, we have collectively looked away from the bright spots that graciously abound in the country. Nigerians hardly celebrate those deserving of honour, people of excellent qualities. Yes, there are bright spots in Nigeria personified by bright individuals. The conduct of these individuals encouragingly gives hope that not everyone subscribes to the narrative of double-standard, laziness, and hopelessness. Of a truth, it is not doom and gloom for Nigeria.
Some individuals in Nigeria are like the Shakespearean Northern star. They remain constant in exemplary conduct, good behaviour, and the enthronement of the positive ethos of diligence and hard work. These people abound in different sectors of the country – banking, education, military, police, judiciary, business, sports, engineering, medicine, and journalism. Amid depressive conditions in the country, indeed, in the face of challenges that have forced many people to give up and throw in the towel, these sets of people remain unruffled as models. They distinguish themselves from the rest of the populace. One of such people is Professor Elijah Adebowale Ayolabi. If we agree with the Holy Book never to light a candle and hide it, but to place it on a table to shine and give light to all, then it is perfectly in order to celebrate a Nigerian citizen who has become a shining light in the academic sector.
Professor Elijah Adebowale Ayolabi is a bona fide citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the current Vice-Chancellor of Mountain Top University, Prayer City Ogun State, Nigeria. On the 13th day of August 2021, he became a year older. People around the world celebrated him in different ways, using positive accolades to describe the outstanding personality of his generation. Yet, many do not know him or appreciate his enormous contributions to nation-building, especially in the education sector. With over ninety academic papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings, Professor Ayolabi distinguishes himself as a Professor of Applied Geophysics with a specialization in Environmental Engineering and Exploration Physics. On the occasion of his birthday, his contributions to Nigeria’s education sector deserve a worthy mention.
As the Pioneer Head of the Department of Geosciences in the University of Lagos from 2010 to 2013, he brought magnificent innovations in the university which accounts for a large number of admission seekers and students willing to take a degree in the discipline. Before his headship of the Geosciences Department, he was the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Science of the University of Lagos from 2011 to 2012. His notable achievements include facilitating the establishment of the Geosciences Department at the University of Lagos. He also facilitated the donation/construction of the Multi-Million Naira Geosciences building by SNEPCO (still ongoing). He is the first Professor of Applied Geophysics, University of Lagos, and the first African Honorary Lecturer for the Middle East and Africa (Society of Exploration Geophysicists).
Professor Ayolabi has won many awards from professional and corporate organisations for his meritorious services. He has secured many grants for Universities where he worked, including the procurement of Geophysics equipment and the execution of projects. He was honoured with a Lifetime Achievements Award by the University of Ibadan in 2018 and Thambo Mbeki Leadership Award for Excellence in 2015. He is a Fellow at, Institute of Management Consultants. He is a member of many professional associations such as the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Society for Exploration Geophysics (SEG), and Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE).
His excellent performance at the University of Lagos led to his appointment as the Head of Academic/Research Advisor Shell Centre of Excellence in Geosciences and Petroleum Engineering, the University of Benin from 2014 to 2015. Excellence naturally ensures promotion. That is the narrative that Nigerians are not used to in recent years. But Professor Ayolabi’s rise in the education sector indicates that excellence is an offshoot of promotion. His excellent performance and success at the University of Benin caught the attention of many people within and outside Nigeria and in 2015; he took a huge step to the top.
In 2015, upon the establishment of Mountain Top University, Prayer City, he was chosen to lead the new university and position it among the best in Nigeria, and indeed the whole world. Six years after his appointment as the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the university, he has surpassed all expectations to lead the university to its present position as one of the top private universities in Nigeria. From an intake of a few hundred students on inception, Mountain Top University today has over one thousand students. Through the able leadership of the pioneer Vice-Chancellor, the university has two colleges, the College of Applied and Basic Sciences (CIBAS) and the College of Humanities and Management Sciences (CHMS). While many private universities established within the same period as Mountain Top University are grappling with course accreditation, all courses offered at Mountain Top University are fully accredited by the National University Commission (NUC).
Although the university boasts of an excellent study and academic environment, the expansionist philosophy of the Vice-Chancellor has made it necessary for the university to aspire to move to a permanent site because the present site cannot accommodate the large structural and academic programs of the university. The permanent site is a multi-billion naira world-class project which will be completed soon. Under the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, the university attracts the best hands in academics, research, and teaching. With the recently established vibrant Post Graduate College, the university is poised to commence the award of Post Graduate degrees with the first set of students in the next academic calendar.
For his exceptional leadership qualities in the educational sector and outstanding contributions to Geophysics and environmental studies, Professor Elijah Ayolabi deserves to be celebrated nationally and internationally on the occasion of his birthday. If Nigeria takes a census of exceptional individuals who have made positive marks in their sector, his name will take a pride of place on that list. Nigerians must not only celebrate citizens who excel outside the country but must celebrate those who excel within the country. Celebrating citizens who have made contributions to nation-building is a catalyst for motivating other citizens to aspire to excellence in their field of endeavour. Professor Elijah Adebowale Ayolabi, Husband, Father, Pastor, Teacher, Scientist, Administrator, Manager, and Mentor, Happy Birthday Sir, and God bless you.
Adiele PhD writes via
