Barely 72 hours after the death of former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Oye Ibidapo Obe, the institution has, again, lost another prominent scholar, Prof. Duro Ajeyalemi to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The late Ajeyalemi, who retired from the university in November 2020, was a former Dean, Faculty of Education, and pioneer registrar of the Joint Universities Preliminary Examination Board (JUPEB).
The Guardian learned that Ajeyalemi died in the isolation centre at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba.
Ajeyalemi, who was a professor of education, is the third indigene of Ijesha land to die from COVID-19 in recent times following the loss of professors Femi Odekunle and Ibidapo-Obe to the scourge.
An official of the university, who pleaded anonymity confirmed Prof. Ajeyalemi’s death, expressed shock over his passing.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development Services, Prof. Folashade Ogunsola, urged Nigerians to obey COVID-19 safety protocols, stressing that coronavirus was real.
MEANWHILE, founder of Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola has expressed shock over the death of Ibidapo-Obe.
In a statement he personally signed in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, he described his (Ibidapo-Obe’s) death as “extremely painful as there was no sign that he was sick.
“Prior to the sad news, I got in touch with Ibidapo-Obe, and our last discussion centered on the development of UNILAG.
“We will all miss him. We will miss his warm disposition, but I will miss him the most. He will be difficult to replace in the academic world because of his sterling qualities.”
Babalola said Ibidapo-Obe had played his part and he played it well, adding: “On behalf of my family and ABUAD, I commiserate with the Ibidapo-Obe Dynasty, the Council, Senate, staff and students of UNILAG on the irreparable loss.”
