Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that his first encounter with Dr. Akin Oyebode at the University of Lagos inspired him to become a teacher and he will always be a university teacher no matter what position he attains in life.
Osinbajo said this while speaking during the home coming reception and recognition award held in his honour.
He said “The importance of good teaching can never be overemphasized as that was what made me become a teacher. I remember one evening of 1977 when I walked into a jurisprudence class and that was my first time of meeting Dr. Akin Oyebode, now a professor.
“Dr. Oyebode taught the for over one and a half hours on the sociological school of jurisprudence, and by the time he was through, I made up my mind that I would teach law and that is the inspiration that led me to teaching four years later.
“The University of Lagos has defined my life in so many ways and that is why I decided to become a teacher. Even today, the first thing that is known about me is that I am a university teacher.
“This is the great inspiration that should be drawn from varsities which must continue to be places of ideas as the future of communities and the nation depends on the thinking of those in universities.
“For this to be achieved, we have to make these varsities comfortable enough for the great minds to continue to grow and come up with great ideas that would benefit the economy.”
Governor Akin Ambode of Lagos, Alhaji Dr. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, Chief Willie Obiano of Anambra, Mr. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom and Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, the Deputy Governor of Abia State were present at the event.
Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Rahamon Bello while addressing the gathering said “Unilag is 53 years and has produced great individuals who have proven their worth wherever they find themselves.
“The varsity continues to excel in its academic pursuit and all round development of its students. On the 1st of November 1962, the first lecture was held here with a student population of 131. Now the student enrollment stands at 52,779.
“In the face of gradual reduction in government funding of education, occasioned by the decline in oil price, we need to look inwards as the varsity has nobody to turn to but its alumni and friends of the varsity.”