[center] Azeez's Effect: Spreading In Leaps And Bounds

It was sametime last year, I did what seems like an epistle, chronicling the modest attributes of a scholar in both private and public service, though viewing him from a prism len of thoughts, within my short stint with him. This time around, writing about him gives me more joy, because I have sat under his intellectual times and academic baptism. Just like a practitioner of certain faith would require an Imam or a Pastor, ordained by God to baptize him into the fold of true worshippers, Dr. Azeez is that academic "John the Baptist" whom God has positioned in times like this to lead men through the academic baptism of 'fire' that would refine them to fine gold, to fit the ever-challenging communication industry. In my many years as a student, I have only found a few teachers like Dr. Azeez. It reminds me of the saying that there is a distinction between a Professor and another Professor, a Doctor and other Doctors and so on....I don't know how you comprehend that. But what that means to me on one side, is that, being a professor doesn't put in you the jacket of academic accomplishment. What really does is the number of souls one has imparted. And how you impart matters alot, because people don't really care what you say, but care how you say it and how you go about doing it. And there are few professors who fall under the category of actually professing the knowledge of their craft, of which they so earned the rank. A professor of this kind, in my own view is that academic sculptor whose scalpel is in his head, and uses it to transform the academic impotence of his students into intellectual limelight without panic. Dr. Azeez is one of such few professors in this category. Though, not fully a Professor, but an Associate, who by his track record of hard work and dedication, is eminently qualified to be called a professor.

Who then is Dr. Adesina Lukuman Azeez?

Dr. Azeez is a renown scholar in the University of Ilorin. He teaches fundamental courses at Postgraduate and Undergraduate levels in communication, at the Department of Mass Communication of the university. He is a lecturer like no other. He is a scholar in his own world and so abundantly endowed with the intellect, required of a professor. He teaches all his courses off-hand, living his students with so much treat of wanting more of him. He is also an administrator of no mean feat, a transformer who provides cure to all academic deficiencies, like a physician to a patient.There is no better way of academic challenge, greater than the pictures your Professor creates in your head and leave you with something to think about all day-long, courtesy of his uncommon intellectual activity. Everytime, Dr. Azeez ignites the academic "fire within" and the warrior mindset in his students. That line, the ‘fire within’ is one that speaks great volumes about the warrior mindset. And it calls to mind lyrics from a popular song: ‘Hearts On Fire’ by the (excellent) band Survivor. A great line from that song goes: "In the warrior’s code, there’s no surrender. Though his body says stop, his spirit cries: “Never!”. So, what is this telling us about the warrior mentality? Simple: warriors don’t give up and they don’t give in. Dr. Azeez, being an academic warrior himself, has built in his students, warriors in the academic battle field. He is one lecturer who has set goals for himself and working endlessly to scoring those goals in good time. His goals are what gives him the motivation and the energy to get up and work toward the things he is truly excited about. And his aim is to produce his kind or at best, a better-than-him in every encounter.

As an ace administrator, he hardly occupy an office and leave it the same way he met it. Most often than not, he transforms and leave the dividends for another, as he is always on the move. He is wanted where ever he is, because he possesses the keys that work wonders in the 21st century workforce. No doubt, his zeal and zest constantly reminds me of the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dwayne Johnson. These are people who have accomplished incredible things, and part of the reason for that is undoubtedly their seemingly endless energy.
Their ability to get up every single day and know what they want to do. Can you imagine seeing the Rock look tired and dejected? Have you ever seen Arnold Schwarzenegger look indifferent or bored? These people have tireless energy, but it comes from a vision and a goal. Dr. Azeez never gets tired despite his busy routines. He is a man with uncommon desire to get things done, using best approach. Just like Arnie once said of the following about his burning desire and how it led him to accomplish his goals: "With my desire and drive, I definitely wasn't normal. Normal people can be happy with a regular life. I was different. I felt there was more to life than plodding through a normal existence... I have always been impressed by stories of greatness and power. I wanted to do something special, to be recognized as the best. I saw bodybuilding as the vehicle that would take me to the top, and I put all my energy into it". In the same vein, I will say, Dr. Azeez is never normal when it comes to his quest for knowledge, because he seldom settle for less in his field of endeavour. He has carved a niche for himself to be recognized as the best. And that niche is in the academics. He is a scholar who believes in what he says, which makes him more efficient at getting others believe in it. This is how his moments are started and this makes him far more attractive and magnetic in his interactions.

In his usual characteristic manner, he teaches his students to finding their goals in life. He has brought his students to the realization that no goal is ‘wrong’, it is simply having a goal and something to be passionate about that will give you the fuel and the fire to keep going no matter what. His teachings no doubt, has inculcated in his students the spirit of creating their own " Code of Ethics". As we all know, code of ethics are the ideas of what you consider to be ‘living well’ and ‘doing the right thing’. Although, this doesn’t have to be your conventional set of rules. It might be that you don’t agree with some aspects of the law. Some philosophers like Azeez are known for views that stray from conventional ideas about ethics and morality, because most conventional ethics are somewhat not applicable. Take Ayn Rand for example, who believed that morality comes from what makes them happiest. She said: "Man has no automatic code of survival.... His senses do not tell him automatically what is good for him or evil, what will benefit his life or endanger it, what goals he should pursue and what means he will achieve them, what values his life depends on, what course of action it requires. Man must choose his actions, values and goals by the standard of that which is proper to man - in order to achieve, maintain, fulfill and enjoy that ultimate value, that end in itself, which is his own life". Just like Ayn Rand, Dr. Azeez believes that individual morality should be based on what makes them happiest. That means working on things that you love, improving yourself and protecting the ones you care about... who in turn makes you happier. He has always suggested that, his students pursue their passions and self-betterment. That way, contribute to society. Nonetheless, Dr. Azeez is never afraid to evolve and adapt with new ideas over time. That is why he has kept on reading and learning with humility, even from his students, as you will soon be reading their testimonies about him in this piece. He does this to keep himself abreast of current trends/conventions, and also to reassess his values and styles. He strongly believe that there is no value in sticking to one set of goals or principles indefinitely and refusing to readdress them, as ultimately this becomes a ‘lie’ as much as any other; he is not a prisoner of knowledge, so to say. This is why he often than not, ask his students to evaluate him for the purpose of making certain readjustments. The renown scholar has also reached a point where he can not break his code of conduct while he exists. He has developed standards to uphold them. And the task of upholding them year-in, year-out has made him stronger, braver, standing tall and more impressive.

Fear Him? Like Him? Hate Him? Pray for Him?

Dr. Azeez is not your kind of lecturer. He is one lecturer who understands the workings of his calling, and has carved a niche for himself, which has made him outstanding over the years. You can never be his student and not get the motivation that would spur you up throughout your lifetime. He possesses the tools of interpersonal communication. His pedagogical course designs, he unleashes from his head, which are in many ways, cogent, powerful, engaging and effective. Like I said in the other article about him, entitled "Azeez's Factor: One Man, Too Many", Dr Azeez is a moving sage, an encyclopedia of humour and a commander of respect. No one understands communication more than him. And you can rarely see his type. If you're doubting me, you can pick up a degree in Mass Communication at the University of Ilorin to ascertain this. If you were to stop reading here and just go with all the information I have provided so far about his footprints, am pretty sure you're inspired, gained courage and well equipped to motivate yourself to achieve the impossible. I know with this, you can even help to weather your storm and keep yourself motivated and calm. But permit me to take you further, so that we can learn a bit more from him. Moving forward, whenever Dr. Azeez is teaching, he commits all his time to make sure he imparts the needed knowledge to his students. During the cause of his lectures, three things are involved. And these three things are peculiar to certain times in the semester. From the very beginning, he would instil fear in you that would make you brace up for the task ahead. After he achieved that, he now allay the fears with a bit of playfulness and humour, without breaking his rules. Machiavelli once asked whether it's better to be ‘feared or loved’. So which is it? Well, he himself actually said it is better to be feared. But that was in a very different time and place. This typifies one of Dr. Azeez's principles. More so, the way and manner he interacts with his students reveal in him so many things that means alot to his students - a good teacher in all seasons, a father to all, a dedicated man, a responsible man, an incredible communicator, a friendly man with a good dress sense and humour personified. All these attributes put together makes his students like him. But the chief attribute among them that makes his students love him to the moon is, his intellectual capacity, which is usually thrilling and exhilarating on display. This of course, has made him the students' delight.

Interestingly, there is always this reoccurring circumstances in the performance of his students which has hitherto, given him sleepless nights, stomachaches, headaches and even heartaches - his saddening moments ever! There is this old adage that says "to whom much is given, much is expected". Just like I have stated above, having invested his intellectual resouces in his students, he expects nothing less than excellence or at least, above average in their performance. Dr. Azeez, unlike the 3Bs in George Garbner's Cultivation Media Theory, you cannot "bend" him to suit your whims and caprices no matter what. He can not for your own sake "blur" his hard-earned integrity. The only option left, is to "blend" with him by doing the right thing at the right time. As his tradition is, before the commencement of his teaching, he introduces his students to the concept of a "moving train" - " That you cannot join a moving train unless and unless you want to commit suicide". This implies that, to be on the safe side, you must take off together with the train at the take-off time. He gets disappointed whenever his students don't reciprocate his hard work with better performance. Expectedly, most of his students hate him because he can not renege on his code of ethics when it comes to evaluating them. But the truth of the matter is that they hate him for the wrong reason. Unarguably, it is always difficult to see the good, one has invested in you immediately, until when one begin to manifest such investment over time. Dr. Azeez's scenario is not an exception. And guess what? So many of his students who passed through his teaching or mentorship, who hitherto have hated him, branded him with several awkward narratives, had long refrained from such. Having now manifested the seeds he once planted in them, they resort to praying for him. So, in one way or the other, it's a win-win phenomenon.

Most importantly, without much ado, I will like to bring to you some of the fascinating experiences his hundred level students shared about him before the compulsory holidays. As a teacher, he believes he is not infallible. As such, at the end of every semester, he usually welcome remarks from his students to help him make necessary adjustment if need be. He usually pop out a bonus question to his students during his major quizzes, and enjoins them to answer it objectively in whichever way they deem fit. The famous question usually goes thus; "Do you love or hate Dr. Azeez? If you love him, state why, and if you hate him, state why"... So, join me as I take a few excerpts of their responses, as they assess him below:

Olusanmi Treasure - "I love Dr. Azeez because he is too informed in his field of endeavour. He is always confident of the kind of information he pass across to his students. He takes his time to give detailed explanations on the topics he teaches us in class. His class is always fun because he is friendly. He uses examples that we can easily relate with. He is a friendly man with a nice sense of humour" Adeyemo Heritage - " I like Dr. Azeez because he is so friendly. He teaches us with experience and explains well for us in the class. He is a forward thinking man with diverse knowledge". Raheem Rofiat - " I like him because he teaches well. Always present in class and he dresses well". James Divine - " I like Dr. Azeez because he exposes students into a friendly relationship with him and keeps the atmosphere of learning very lively and fun. Above all, I like him because he is capable and has a good personality".

Olagunju Oyinkansola - "Dr. Azeez is my lecturer, and I like him because he is jovial, versatile, energetic and awesome. Anytime he comes to class, he does not come with a book, which I admire and love. He dictates all his lectures off-hand, and he relates with us like his children. I haven't had a personal encounter with him but I love his personality".Adedayo Olamide - " Dr. Azeez is a nice man. He dresses well and he is a good teacher. Oh yes! I do like him". Ishola Testimony - " Dr. Azeez is likeable because he is a professional at what he does, while making the class interesting too". Adelphe Marie-Paul Etty - " I hate the course because I don't understand English very well. This is because in my country we don't speak English that much". Erimako Love - "I love Dr. Azeez because he is a kind man, humble and wise with blessed teaching skills".
Aderibigbe Yesirah - "I love Dr. Azeez for several reasons. I am happy to have an amazing lecturer like him, to have given me the basic knowledge of this course. He is very friendly". Ibidamitan Busayo - "Dr. Azeez is a very diligent lecturer, and he is very intelligent, which is why I like him. I like the fact that his class is very interactive and he tries his best to make students understand. Dr. Azeez dictates all his notes from his head and still very understandable". Abu Damaris - "Dr. Azeez is a lecturer in the University of Ilorin, Department of Mass Communication. He is known to be a very nice and approachable lecturer. Based on my experience with him so far, he is the nicest lecturer in the department. What I don't like about him, according to our seniors in the field, is the way he sets his questions. We are hoping he would change". Afolayan Taiwo - " I like Dr. Azeez because he imparts his teachings on students effectively. He makes student understand his teachings easily. He is also nice and friendly". Arewa Daniel - "I love Dr. Azeez because he is a man that love his students. He is a man of honour, always very punctual and disciplined. He is punctual in the sense that he comes to class regularly, and he is very sincere. He'll always communicate to us anytime he'll not make it to class". Aisida Adedapo - "I like Dr. Azeez because he teaches well through his good Communication skills. I also like him because while he is teaching, he tries to reduce any hindrance to good communication and improves understanding". Omosola Happiness - "l like him because he is diligent in what he does. He teaches very well in a way that we understand. His class is always very interactive. He is not too strict". Arowosaye Rukayat - "I love Dr. Azeez because he is a very clever lecturer. He is one of the best lecturers I have ever met in my life".
Orobosa Asemota - "I love Dr. Azeez because of his method of teaching. While teaching, he uses illustrations and examples that we can relate with. He also relates well with each and everyone of us in the class. Whenever we do well, he commends us sincerely from his heart, and it is one of the major reason I like him so much. He is very informed, dynamic and current. He implements up-to-date development in teaching for a better understanding".

Undoubtedly, I can go on and on to chronicle these suiting tales and glowing testaments about him. But I will pause here for another day inorder to eliminate repetitiveness, because the narrative is one and all the same. Dr. Azeez is a generational blessing to those who pass through him and those who do not, because his effect is spreading everywhere and replicating in the life of his students. He is a great force to reckon with. He is a man of many paths, a man of great honour and accompliments. Yet, he boast about nothing. He is humble like the dove and down to earth like the humus soil - no wonder his effect is multiplying in leaps and bounds. He possesses a liberal mind that is free like the bird, brave like the lion and humane in all human relations.

Sir, may your days be long to eat the good of the land!

Ofem is A Stickler For Rational Education. He writes from Ilorin


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Mass Comm. indeed, you have proven that with this write up.

Teaching offhand is no big deal, as long as the topics remains the same.

If the majority of our lecturers could espouse the qualities you explained above, our academia would become a bliss for students and a fertile ground for breeding future leaders.

Exactly! I agree with you