When he was playing street football at Ilesha in Osun State, while inprimary school, only a few people probably thought he could amount to a celebrity in life. Some must have thought he would ultimately inherit his fathers trading store and later become a plebeian without substance and style. But both at his fathers shop and in school, he began to manifest characteristics of infant prodigy. Signals of his innate intellectual and scholastic ability became clearer at Ilesa Grammar School where he obtained Grade I with distinction in 1970.Today, Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole turns 57 with amazing story of glory. His meteorological rise to stardom became more accentuated on December 1, when he assumed office as the 11th Vice-Chancellor of Nigeria premier university: University of Ibadan. (UI), after coming first out of eleven other contestants from a rigorous and transparent selection process that lasted six months.It is, therefore, understandable, if from Ilesa to Ibadan, his friends and well wishers, as well as people whose lives he has touched roll out drums, blow the trumpets, clash the cymbals and cling glasses at champagne popping birthday bash today. They are only celebrating a champion favoured by God.Certainly, from a conceptual design to construction supervision, to this moment of global appreciation of a wonderful creature, God is indeed involved in this project!However, in more ways than one, todays birthday celebration in UI and beyond will surely vary from modest and restricted to festive and all-embracing. Why This is because Prof. Adewale, like a revolutionary in cocoon, waiting for the warmth of nature to explode to life, has in less than five months in office, changed for better, the lifestyle of all workers in UI with his radical innovativeness. Hitherto, workers in the institution would have to pray and fast before their salaries could be paid, depending on when federal government released allocation. But upon his assumption of office, humanitarian Adewole decided that all workers must get their salaries between 22nd and 25th of every month whether government pays or not.Initially, cynics thought it was a mere wishful thinking predicated on utopia. He achieves that to the astonishment of many. He sources money from other avenues to pay the workers on time. Professor Adewole says he wants his workers paid before other salary earners, so that they could buy in the market before inflationary tactics of market women, following multitude arrival.Workers can now accurately predict arrival of their salary. They give kudos to a leader that rouses them with vistas of renewal. Workers generally tend to gravitate towards leaders who listen and sit at the same radius of their circle; it will not be surprising therefore if they celebrate with the enigma VC. In addition, Professor Adewole who is a medical doctor has vowed that no worker in UI will die of treatable disease. He is putting finishing touches to a plan that will enable all workers to undertake a fresh medical check -up in order to determine their health condition.Interestingly, while some of his predecessors attained success by arithmetic advancement, urbane and well-comported Adewole records achievements in geometric progression. His body language is offering an anticipatory picture of a prosperous future for the system. He is not only directional in his thoughts and actions, his scope of creativity is almost limitless.Being an alumnus, upwardly mobile and infectiously ebullient Obstetrician and Gynecologist has encyclopedic knowledge of the institution so well that the precision of his cognitive appraisal of any challenge mesmerizes all and sundry. With the characteristic swagger that is all his, Professor Adewole who is supremely confident of himself, when confronted with any challenge, offers a peaceful way forward through the instrumentality of a scientific platform. He engages in proper interrogation and provision of enlightenment of the issues involved in any dispute.It is on record that he restores students unionism in UI after 10 years of courts injunction, proscribing the union. To put it blandly, in this era of disappearing hope and expanding hopelessness, the birthday boy represents symbolic optimism, pleading that the boundaries of possibility are more expandable than we dare to dream.Unlike some leaders that would be so marooned in executive paraphernalia to the exclusion of field knowledge, amiable IFA as he is fondly called, has taken time out to visit every nook and cranny of the university, for on the spot assessment of any problem.It was during one of his unscheduled visits to different units and departments he discovered a decent office converted to a store, when some people had nowhere to sit. Pronto, he commanded the sacredness of the office to be restored.Combining uncommon tenacity with an unwavering belief, silver-tongued Ijesa man knows that the road to success is constantly under construction.He has promised to take UI to greater heights, hence his many dreams. Part of his dreams for the indisputable primus inter pares UI is to increase female hostels from two to four.He wants to have Olubadan Hall in UI. He has been talking to prominent Ibadan indigenes regarding this. He also wants Odua hall. He has visited Odua conglomerate for partnership. He, in fact, wants UI to become a business-oriented university.Professor Adewole focuses almost mono-maniacally on his job to the extent that he does not leave his office until 10 p.m. every day and by 8 a.m, the following day, he is back at his table, always stretching his intellectual level beyond its malleable limit. Very articulate and effusive, yet studiously calm, he knows when to close his mouth and open his ears with genuineness of his selflessness unmistakable.With his considerable circumference of his experience, making his job a lot much easier, humble Adewole is loathsome of sloppiness, tardiness and mediocrity for he does his job in a manner that is reminiscent of global best practices. It is therefore beyond contention that his impressive antecedents are propitious to the resolution of a myriad of problems facing the university.As he marks his 57 years on earth, one can only wish Professor Adewole many happy returns, long life and prosperity in the service of his fatherland.Saanu is Media Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan. sundaysaanu@yahoo.com
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