Kunle Adelabu
It was another occasion to celebrate the founding fathers of the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG) and other eminent personalities at the 22nd Memorial Lecture in honour of Prof. Anthony Adegbola, hosted by the group.
The lecture at the annual event, which was held at the Ikorodu Town hall on Saturday, November 1st, was delivered by Prof. Adebukunola Adebule – Ositelu, former Chairman, Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board, with the theme, ‘Alternative Medicine: Perspective, Uses and Benefits’.
Among the honourees were Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, a chieftain of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and former Secretary to the Lagos State Government who had served as Chairman, IDRDG (1988 – 89) and Prof. Sikiru Adebayo Sanni, the first blackman to be admitted into MIT School of Chemical Engineering Practice and first Professor of Chemical Engineering in Africa, who, between 1990 and 1991, served as the IDRDG Chairman, both of whom were honoured with the IDRDG Excellence awards for their contributions to the group, Ikorodu Division, nation and humanity in general.
Also honoured were Sir Engr. (Chief) Rasheed Shoderu, a renowned Civil Engineer, Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Oriwu Club and Chairman, Liaison Group, Eminent Persons of Ikorodu Division, and Chairman of IDRDG between 1994 and 1995, and Prof. Oladapo Abraham Afolabi, a Professor of Chemistry at the Ladoke Akintola University and former Federal Permanent Secretary who served the Ministries of Labour, Education and others. He delivered the lecture at the 12th edition of the memorial lecture in 2011. Prof. Afolabi later served as the Head of Service of the Federation and Chairman, Governing Council, The Polytechnic Ibadan.
Meanwhile, Asiwaju Basorun, in an interview with THE IMPACT in 2019, had explained that the group was the outcome of a meeting he had with the first civilian governor in the state, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, under whom he served as the first SSG of the state and later as a Commissioner, during which he was advised to gathered scholars and other resourceful individuals in the division.
The GAC Chieftain had met with Governor Jakande to informed him that none of the Lagos indigenes, including three Professors from Ikorodu, were deemed qualified as Vice Chancellor (VC) for Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, at that time.
He listed Late Professor Adegbola who was the first chairman of the group, Prof Sikiru Sanni, Prof. Kunle Wahab, Prof. Nimbe Adedipe, Prof. Osinowo, Chief Oye Solebo, Alhaji Salisu Alogba and Alhaji Musediq Alogba, as those that he called and had meeting with, leading to the formation of the IDRDG on the 15th of July, 1983.
The awards were presented to the honourees by His Royal Majesties Oba (Dr.) Engr. Kabir Adewale Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu and Oba (Barr.) Semudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, both of whom attested to the impacts and contributions of the awardees, and also gratulated them.
