[dropcaps]I[/dropcaps]t was a grand celebration of reunion penultimate Monday (January 15, 2018) at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ilorin, when the Oluwatoyin Mojisola Akintola Foundation (OMA) and members of the 1999 set of the Department jointly presented various awards and prizes to the best performing students at various levels of the Department.
The well-attended event, which took place at the Faculty Lecture Theatre, was jointly organised by the Class of ’99 and an ex-student of the Department, Mr Kayode Akintola in memory of his late wife, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Akintola, who incidentally was also an old student of the Department of Sociology. She passed away on January 14, 2008.
The event, which was described as first of its kind in the history of the Department since its establishment in 1984, featured presentation of prizes and awards to the best female 300 level student, the best female graduating student, the best 100 level, 200 level, 300 level students as well as the best overall graduating student.
Mr. Kayode Akintola of OMA Foundation presented cheques of N100,000 each to the best female 300 level student and the best female graduating student, Olanrewaju Joy Abidemi and Obakunle Isinmioluwa both of 2016/2017 session respectively.
The 1999 set presented N20, 000 cheques to each of the best performing students in 100 level, 200 level and 300 level, Abdulrazak Oluwakemi Tawa, Folorunsho Sunkanmi Adams and Olanrewaju Joy Abidemi respectively. The best graduating student with a first class honour, in the 2016/2017 session, Khalid Raji, went home with the sum of N40, 000.
A close friend of late Oluwatoyin Mojisola Akintola, Mr. Elijah Olugbade, who was in attendance, also donated the sum of N5,000 each to all the recipients of OMA Foundation prizes while James Omogeafo also donated the sum of N200,000 to support the OMA Foundation for the purchase of text books for the Department.
In his remarks on the occasion, the Director of the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS), University of Ilorin, who is a former Head of the Department of Sociology, Prof. Noah Yusuf, commended the Class of ’99 and Mr. Kayode Akintola for blazing the trail by remembering the Department that produced them.
The CPSS Director urged other old students to take a cue from OMA Foundation and the ’99 set so as to collectively add value to their Alma mater.
Prof. Noah said, “You will all agree with me that the gesture by Mr. Akintola and Sociology ’99 Class in instituting an annual award for the best students in the Department deserves appreciation from all and is worthy of emulation. One can imagine the number of awards that our best students would receive annually if all the Sociology sets that we have produced have similar programme”.
Also speaking, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Bashir Salawu, who is also a Professor of Sociology, thanked the initiators of the prizes for extending their hands of fellowship to the students and Department in general.
In his remarks, the founder of OMA Foundation, Mr. Kayode Akintola, thanked God for giving him the opportunity to fulfill his promise of immortalising his late wife and promised that the donation will be done annually during the University convocation.
Speaking on behalf of the ’99 set, Mr. Akin Ibimidun said that the gesture was a collective effort by members of his set to contribute their quota by giving back to the institution that provided them with University education.
In her vote of thanks on the occasion, Dr. (Mrs.) D. Adekeye appreciated the organisers of the awards and prayed God to continue to lead them through in their official and private endeavours.
Highlights of the event included the launching of a book entitled “Toyin’s Season” written by Mr. Kayode Akintola, the husband of late Oluwatoyin Akintola, and cash donation to a blind student of the Department.
Among those that attended the occasion were the Dean of Student of Affairs, Prof. L. T. Ajibade; the Dean, Postgraduate School, Prof. S. A. Bolu; and the Ag. Director of the Unilorin Advancement Centre, Dr. Jeleel Ojuade, among others.
