
The Vice Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Professor Razaq Olatunde Rom Kalilu, has been awarded the Transparency Africa Award.
The award which was presented to him in the presence of select leadership of Transparency Africa and eminent colleagues of the Vice Chancellor at the University, was in recognition of his virtuous attributes.
The event was witnessed by a member of the University Governing Council, Professor Adenike Rebecca Ayoade.
The Transparency Africa team was led by the Ivory Coast representative of the organisation, Dr. Bernard Soglo, who said the agency decided on honouring the Professor of Arts and Arts History after a painstaking due diligence was conducted on him and was found worthy of being held up to upcoming youths as a symbol of integrity, incorruptibility, and discipline among other virtues.
Soglo said Professor Kalilu, like a few other Africans, are proofs that the debilitating stories that are being peddled about Africans still have exceptions that are available and showing the ways to greater tomorrow of the Continent.
According to him, “If foreigners and the media would not tell our good stories, we at ‘Transparency Africa’ believe we should be able to identify outstanding exceptions and lift them up as jewels in our crown.”
He added that the organisation did a comprehensive profiling of Professor Kalilu and found him worthy to be associated with.
Other officials of the Organization at the award ceremony included its Nigerian representative, Mr. Goriola Mosobalaje and Nigeria Deputy, Mr. Kenny Alagbe.
Principal Officers of LAUTECH like Deputy Vice Chancellor (Strategy and Development), Professor Tunde Ogunkunle; Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and Innovations), Professor Dahud Araromi; Registrar, Mrs. Olayinka Balogun; Bursar, Mr. Olusegun Olatokun, and University librarian, Professor Adefunke Sarah Ebijuwa, were present at the brief but colourful event, which was held at the Office of the Vice Chancellor of the 35 year-old institution owned by Oyo State.
Other dignitaries at the occasion included a member of the 10th Governing Council of the University and Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Professor Margaret Areo; Dean of Arts and Social Sciences, Professor Frank Temisanren Ebijuwa, as well as Deputy Registrar (Vice Chancellor’s Office), Mrs. Adeladun Akinyode, and Head, Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Dr. Toyin Akinde.
Professor Kalilu, in his response, said the award would serve as a booster for him to do more for the system.