Professor Falola, at the maiden convocation ceremony of the university, on March 5, 2022, was awarded the university’s first-ever honorary doctorate in management technology.
While speaking on the doctorate, he stated that: “I am very grateful for this honour. It means a lot to me. I do not take it lightly. I am immensely grateful the Technical University. It is also a call to me to continue to give my best in scholarship and to continue to be a source of encouragement and inspiration to all those who look up to me.”
Toyin Falola is the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair professor in the Humanities and a distinguished teaching professor at the University of Texas, Austin.
He is a Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigerian Academy of Letters. He has received various awards and honours, including the Jean Holloway Award for Teaching Excellence, the Texas Exes Teaching Award and the Ibn Khaldun Distinguished Award for Research Excellence, and the Distinguished Fellow, Ibadan Cultural Group.
Other awardees included Chief (Dr.) Tunde Afolabi, who is also the Chancellor of the university; High Chief Adebayo Akande; Chief Amal Pepple and Mr. Segun Agbaje.
While speaking on the awardees and the university, the Visitor and Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Olubamiro Adeosun, told the congregation: “I am particularly delighted that among today’s awardees are notable sons and daughters of Oyo State who have been contributing towards the upliftment of the institution. To the host communities, I wish to appreciate you for the cordial relationship that exists between you and Tech-U. It is however pertinent at this juncture to seek more support in terms of donation from all and sundry towards the advancement of the institution.”
Other eminent personalities at the event included university administrators, distinguished academics, the political elite, parents, graduating students and members of the public.
