These days, we should pause—intentionally—from no matter else would possibly beckon for our consideration. Let pals, buddies, colleagues, and well-wishers, from a ways and close to, mud off their dancing footwear and, bedecked of their greatest attire, make their method to Trenchard Corridor, College of Ibadan. There, we the members converge to have a good time the archpriest as he marks his diamond anniversary.
3 rankings, as side road lingo would have it, no be comic story—particularly in opposition to the backdrop of the 2025 UN information that puts Nigeria’s moderate existence expectancy at 54.6 years.
Who’s These days’s archpriest? He’s a person with blank arms and a natural middle; person who does now not put his agree with in idols; blessed by means of God with a valid thoughts in a wholesome frame: Professor Lateef Babatunde Ayeleru, a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, FNAL, and fast previous Director/Leader Govt Administrative center of the Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry, Lagos State.
I met Professor Ayeleru right through my journalism profession, in particular within the build-up to the 2015 governorship election in Oyo State. As an investigative journalistwith a penchant for exclusives, I engaged political grandees throughout birthday celebration strains throughout the state’s ever-shifting political terrain. At the moment, two dominant faculties of idea formed Oyo politics: the Rashidi Ladoja Bodija College and the Abiola Ajimobi Marines. Prof, because the celebrant is fondly known as, used to be probably the most main eggheads of the Bodija College.
We bonded nearly right away—drawn in combination by means of our shared Humanities background and our not unusual roots in Obafemi Awolowo College, Ile-Ife, that fiery furnace the place many people have been solid.
A number of encounters stand out. On the peak of arrangements for Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s second-term bid, his spokesperson revealed a piece of writing within the Tribune containing what many thought to be outlandish claims in opposition to Senator Rashidi Ladoja, who had emerged because the sitting governor’s maximum ambitious nemesis. Prof and I held a digital assembly to dissect the piece. Ahead of crack of dawn day after today, an intellectually powerful reaction had germinated from his fecund pen.
It used to be my skilled accountability to verify Ladoja’s proper of answer, and Prof’s article used to be in consequence deployed—lavishly—by means of the paper. The rejoinder now not handiest rattled Governor Ajimobi however reportedly forced him to instruct his media crew to briefly sheath their swords in opposition to Ladoja. Such used to be the pressure of Prof’s reasoned intervention. His writings increased political discourse in Oyo State and resonated even at the nationwide level.
But his contributions prolonged a ways past polemical writing. Professor Ayeleru convened like-minded teachers in his place of job to have interaction Ladoja in rigorous highbrow classes—cross-fertilising concepts and getting ready him for the gubernatorial debate organisedby Splash FM, the state’s pioneering personal radio station.
In celebrating my diamond mentor, we aren’t simply marking the passage of time; we’re honouring six many years of excellence, carrier, and inspiration. A prominent pupil, Prof firmly believes that wisdom with out humility leads handiest to break. Outdoor the sector of highbrow engagement, one may just scarcely bet that he has attained the summit of educational pursuit.
Scholars and shut pals appreciate his humility, quiet energy, and unwavering dedication to equity and reality. His principled stance has at all times been transparent: true success isn’t measured only by means of the quantity of publications, however by means of the lives enlightened, enriched, and remodeled alongside the way in which.
At 60, the lifetime of this Professor of French, Carried out Linguistics and African Literatures reminds us that greatness is continued now not by means of place, however by means of consistency of values and intensity of objective. He has mentored generations with persistence, self-discipline, and generosity. Lots of his former scholars at the moment are professors, execs, leaders, and students who include the beliefs he modelled—explaining why his affect stays potent a ways past the study room.Professor Ayeleru stands as an ethical exemplar—demonstrating that management is best possible expressed thru carrier, knowledge, and moral readability.
My circle of relatives and I sign up for a lot of well-wishers to have a good time Professor Ayeleru and this outstanding milestone with gratitude and admiration. It’s my earnest prayer that his pitcher won’t damage on the fountain, and that the Almighty God will proceed to enhance and make sure him in all goodness.Félicitations et joyeux anniversaire, mon chef.
Adekanmbi, certainly one of Professor Tunde Ayeleru’snumerous mentees, wrote in from Ibadan, Oyo State.