LAUTECH: How Prof. Mujidat Aremu was feted after delivering 60th inaugural lecture
pannigeriannews
6 min read
By Sunday Adepoju
The Hall of the prestigious Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State was, on Thursday, filled to capacity as eminent personalities, including scholars, professionals, teachers, administrators, families, friends, colleagues and well-wishers thronged in to the venue of the reception ceremony to mark the presentation of 60th Inaugural lecture of the institution and to honour Professor (Mrs) Mujidat Omolara Aremu, the presenter and Iwo-born scholar of biochemical engineering at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso.
They converged on the popular The Hall to felicitate Professor Aremu after successfully delivering the institution’s 60th Inaugural Lecture Series titled “Good-Bad-Better Again: Paradox of Bioengineering in Waste Valorization for Resource Recovery” on behalf of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at The Great Hall, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso under the chairmanship of Professor Rasaq Olatunde Rom Kalilu, the Vice Chancellor of LAUTECH.
Pannigeriannews.com reports that Professor Aremu, who holds a B.Sc. (1997), M.Sc. (2003) and Ph.D (2010) in Chemical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, started her academic career in LAUTECH at LAUTECH in 2005 as an Assistant Lecturer and rose through the ranks to become Professor of Chemical Engineering (Biochemical Engineering in 2017). She is a member of many professional bodies: Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE); Member of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (MNSChE); Member of the National Association of Women in Academics (MNAWACS); Member of the Association of Professional Women Engineers (MAPWEN) and Member of the Association of Biotechnology Scientists and Bioengineers, LAUTECH, Nigeria (ABSBLN).
Among other guests too numerous to list, Professor Aremu’s father, Alhaji Taleatu Adisa; husband, Alhaji Mikail Adigun Aremu; children, siblings, friends, families, past teachers, mentors and colleagues graced the occasion. Recognizing the enormity of the roles played by her parents, Prof. Aremu dedicated the lecture to her late mother, Late Madam Rafat Taleatu.
“I am eternally grateful to my parents: Alhaji Taleatu Adisa and my late mother, Mrs Rafat Taleatu, ‘abiamo tooto’ (true parents), the stable from which I approached this world; who gave their all, out of meagre resources train their children. Baami, I pray that your days be long to continue to enjoy the fruits of your labour. And that God Almighty expand and illuminate the grave of my mother and continue to rest her soul. Mr Vice Chancellor, at this juncture, I will like to dedicate this lecture to the memory of my late mother who, though dead, the work of her hand still thrives.” Prof. Aremu.
While remarking about the celebrant, the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Ayede, Oyo State, Engr. Dr. Taofeek Adekunle Abdul-Hameed extolled the virtues of the Prof. Aremu as a thorough-bred academic and engineer whose contributions to scholarship and humanity cannot underestimated. And on behalf of the Chairman of our Governing Council, Barrister Ademubowale Mercy Adelabu; other members; management, staff and students of Federal Polytechnic Ayede, I congratulate my dear sister on this milestone in her journey.
“I am particularly happy to be here and identify with our erudite professor of biochemical engineering at LAUTECH. It is apt to also commend our professor for combining scholarship with community engagement.”
Also speaking about the celebrant, Alhaji Alarape Dauda from Aija’s Compound in Iwo, Osu State, said, “I am happy for the celebrant. We were together as students at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. We would call her Strong Woman. She is/was always very objective. She is a virtuous woman. She had always displayed leadership role and commitment since our days at OAU. She has left no one in doubt that she would become who she is today. She is a very strong force in our associations both OAU and Iwo.”
Surveyor Ayinde Rasaq said, “I am happy to be here, attending this party after the beautiful lecture. I enjoin our students of today to emulate Prof. Aremu. I beseech all our girls in Iwo, in particular, to learn from the story of the giant we are celebrating today. They should know that what a man can do, a woman can do better.”
Barrister Ishola Taofeek Tewogbade, from Iwo, said, “This programme gives hope that the future of Iwo, Osun State and Nigeria as a whole will be good. She has not disappointed us.”
Alhaja Mutiat Gbenusola Azeez, a former student of OAU, “I am highly elated to be here. Pro. Is just an amazing person gifted by God. I wish to offer my felicitations to her and the family generally as worthy heroine of Iwoland.”
Dr. kazeem Salam, from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Deputy Dean, Faculty Engineering and Technology, LAUTECH lauded her contributions in the field of engineering and her relationship in the community.
“Chemical engineering is a branch of engineering that combines all applied sciences in solving problems. Hardly will you find a branch of science that chemical engineering cannot collaborate with. Our Professor has talked about biochemical engineering. Basically, you are converting waste materials to useful products. If I want to talk to a layman, I will say that chemical engineering is a branch of engineering that that transforms materials into useful products.
“The celebrant is my senior colleague and I can also call her my friend. In fact, some of us here call me the ‘deputy celebrant’. She is a good, pious woman. She is an active researcher. When you find her, she is either working on research or mentoring students. Despite that she is a researcher, she still has a balanced life, interacting with the society. Like today, we have seven societies that came from Iwo to honour her. She worked to achieve these feats. She is hardworking, resilient and persistent.”
The Agbaakin of Iwoland, Agbaakin Tayo Giwa, former Secretary of Iwo Board of Trustees (IBoT), and currently President of Iwo Progressive Group, expressed confidence in her, saying “I am like a father to the celebrant of today. And so I am very happy to be here. I am not freaked by money. I always honour brilliance in people. You don’t just pick degrees on the streets. She has worked assiduously to earn her degrees and become a distinguished professor. She had, before this time, demonstrated the potential of being an achiever in her career.”
The Odofin of Iwo Akinleye, Chief Ismaila Gbolagade Baruwa, noted, “My joy knows no bound today because Prof. Aremu is my ‘daughter’. I taught her Biology at St. Mary Grammar School, Iwo in 1988. I am also an alumnus of the school before I later became a teacher there. Mujidat was very courageous and focused. We had, since then, identified in her the potential. I, therefore, want to charge the students of nowadays to be hardworking and focused. They should shun social vices like yahoo yahoo, sexual immorality, drug abuse, smoking and all that.”
The Aare Musulumi of Iwoland and Secretary of Iwo Board of Trustees, Aare Abdul-Waheed Olajire Ayinla, expressed “We are thrilled by Prof. Aremu’s erudition and academic attainment. And I pray that Allah continues to bless her and increase her wisdom, knowledge and understanding.”
Prof. Isiaq Olayinka Baruwa of the Department of Agricultural Economics, OAU, lauded the contributions of the celebrant socially, educationally, and even spiritually. He harped on the significance of inaugural lecture in the life of any professor.
While appreciating the people at the reception programme, Prof. Aremu offered her sincere thanks to all who contributed to the success of the programme and to all had contributed in her journey of life generally.
“Thank you all for your supports financially, morally, and spiritually. I pray that you will all live to experience the celebration of your children. I am eternally grateful. Wishing you all safe journey to various destinations.”
