25 Years After, Fashola Honours Engineering Genius, Ayodele Awojobi
…Unveils social reformer’s Statue, memorial garden in Lagos

Oct 20, 2009 - Twenty five years after he passed on, the Lagos State Government on Tuesday immortalized late mechanical engineering genius and social reformer, Professor Ayodele Awojobi by unveiling his statue at a memorial garden located at Onike Roundabout in Yaba.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) said he would continue to use the privilege of his office to champion the belief of the possibilities of the Nigerian enterprise adding: “our generation will not surrender our belief in the promise of a new Nigeria”.

Said he: “My belief and that of my colleagues at all levels in the Government of Lagos State is based on a simple logic that our history shows that it has been done before by men and women of humble beginnings who distinguished themselves by seizing opportunities through hardwork and dreamt great dreams like Professor Ayodele Awojobi”.

Governor Fashola added that by honouring such men and women: “we connect the present generation to our history of a pre-eminent past; we draw inspiration of possibilities and reiterate an ethic and value for hardwork as necessary ingredients for a brighter rewarding future”.

The Governor recalled that twenty five years ago, the curtain fell for the brilliant and highly respected Professor Ayodele Awojobi who had set a record by becoming, at the age of 37, the youngest lecturer in the University of Lagos to become a Professor.

He added that before the erudite Professor died at the age of 47, he had carved a niche for himself as his name had found global space as a mechanical engineer of repute and fighter against social dislocations and political recklessness.

In his words: “Professor Awojobi was a true genius. It is on record that in his final year in the secondary school in 1955, he played the role of Macbeth in one of the books of Williams Shakespeare. He memorized the whole textbook and was familiar with all the lines that during rehearsals he assisted other actors with their lines”.

Governor Fashola also said the late Professor is reputed for his singlehanded conversion of a Leyland Jeep named Autonov 1 from right hand to left hand and also designed a bi-directional Armoured vehicle which can be moved forward and backward without turning it round and codenamed it Autonov2.

He added that the invention were home grown, home inspired and home delivered technology that required no transfer from anywhere but simply the work of a Nigerian prodigy.

“We cannot deny that the promise that this genius offered our country was not realized then. We cannot deny that many of his ilk have since left the country and inflicted a huge drain on our human resource capacity in many areas”, he added.

Governor Fashola urged all those present that the most enduring memorial that could be done in honour of late Professor Awojobi is to etch his memory in all individual minds, adding that now is time for academics to develop an Awojobi law in their respective faculties.

On the request to rename Iwaya road, the street linking the garden after the late Prof, Governor Fashola promised to lend his support to the Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area under whose jurisdiction the area falls in the quest to rename the street.

Earlier in his address, Commissioner for Environment, Dr Muiz Banire had said heroes are models and sources of inspiration in man’s daily endeavours, adding that celebrating them ingrain in everyone especially the youth, the virtue of forthrightness, hardwork, diligence, preservation and dedication.

He informed that the choice of Onike Round About is to ensure that the monument is situated around the University of Lagos and a deliberate attempt to encourage all students passing through the route to aspire to greater heights.

Dr Banire explained that the garden has a 9ft bronze cast of the image of Prof Ayodele Awojobi mounted on a 4ft marble base pedestal for future generations to have an idea of the physique of the erudite scholar and social crusader.

The Commissioner reiterated that the garden sits on approximately 467 square metres with walk area paved with interlocking paving stones, wrought iron seats for relaxation, lush grass and flowers planted to compliment the shade provided by the trees, adding that orders have been placed for solar powered lighting to illuminate the garden at night .

In their goodwill messages, a representative of the Professor Awojobi Foundation. Mr Kunle Awobodu commended Governor Fashola for deeming it fit to immortalize the late Professor without prompting, adding that the foundation had to contend with several disappointments.

He added that the guiding dictum for everyone should be to provide service based on conviction, but not material benefits, urging everyone to do something to correct the ills of the society.

Also speaking, a representative of Mr Femi Falana and the Civil Society groups, Mr Debo Adeniran said Nigeria is the only country that destroys its best hands while glorifying its worst, saying late Professor Awojobi was also one of the best politicians Nigeria has ever produced, adding that if he had lived to age of 70, Nigeria would have been the better for it.

He added that the immortalization of Professor Awojobi while being very commendable should go beyond the garden with the consideration of the renaming of a faculty at Lagos State University after the renowned engineer.

In his goodwill message, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Tolu Odugbemi, who was represented by the Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Professor M.A Salawu thanked the Lagos State Government for immortalizing the late first Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University, saying it will spur students to aspire to greater heights.

In the same vein, a brother of late Professor Awojobi who paid tributes to him, thanked the Lagos State Government for the painstaking effort it has put into the construction of a beautiful and befitting garden in memory of his late brother.

He promised that the siblings of the late icon will continue the struggle from where he had stopped.

In an another message, one of the students of the late academician, Engineer Titi OMO-ETU commended Governor Babatunde Fashola for the wonderful change which is very observable all over the state.

He added that in Lagos, everyone can have a feel of what good governance looks like.

The Governor later commissioned the Professor Ayodele Awojobi Park by unveiling the statue of the late academic situated in the middle of the garden flanked by the widow, Mrs Bode Awojobi among others.

Among those who attended the ceremony were Special Adviser on Environment, Mr Sesan Olanrewaju, the widow of late Professor Awojobi, Mrs Bode Awojobi, wife of the first military Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Obafunmilayo Johnson, Retired General Ishola Williams, siblings and children of late Professor Awojobi and his students.

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Too much personification, title, just build the park and call it Awojobi Park, finish

Seun:

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Sorry about that,

http://www.tundefashola.com/archives/photos/2009/10/20/20091020P01.html

tarano:

Too much personification, title, just build the park and call it Awojobi Park, finish

I see what you're saying, but this is how you build a sane and civil society. Our kids should be able to see our heroes and role models personified with statues and parks. @ least, we're not talking about dead corrupt and evil people.


He did 'same Herbert Marculey here

http://happylagosian..com/2009/05/yaba-glory-regained-with-upgraded-roads.html


He did 'Same for Sam Okwaraji here,

http://www.tundefashola.com/archives/photos/2009/08/12/20090812P01.html