Like a professional footballer who has just changed his club side, I recently landed in Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), upon an appointment as Director, Directorate of Public Affairs and Communication (DIPAC). The University Council has just renamed the Directorate. It used to be Directorate of Communication and Corporate Affairs.
However, the reception here, since my arrival though, has been so amazing. My boss, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole has been treating me with a tinge of royalty, proudly introducing me to each audience as the “new Director of Public Affairs and Communication who is going to really project FUOYE to the world. That is Dr. Saanu. We snatched him from the University of Ibadan”
Prof. Ogunwole is intellectually dialogical, very conversational and discussive with his open personable mien. He has been meeting various segments of the university, sharing his visions. He is a no nonsense leader who has been emphasizing the fact that the new face of FUOYE will not tolerate laziness, indiscipline, and malingering among other bad manners that should not be found in a university environment.
Along with his team players, including the amiable Registrar, Mr. Mufutau Adeshina Ibrahim, beautiful and elegant Bursar, Dr. (Mrs.) A. A. Debo Ajagunna and University Librarian, handsome Dr. Olajide Olabode among others, Mr. Vice Chancellor has been making life comfortable and enjoyable for me. I have been eating pounded yam as if that was the only delicacy here!
My subordinates in the DIPAC are simply wonderful. The honour and respect they accord me is indeed remarkable. They are so committed to their jobs. With time, I am going to recommend these people to the VC for special appreciation. Even when our vehicle was not available, some of these people offered to carry our public address systems to the venue of an event. I am so lucky to have these people working with me.
But how did I get here? I can’t thank God enough for His mercy. It is God.
They are Messrs Sesan Adeleke, Bakji Godfrey, Chinedu Okafor, Otitoju Femi, and Olutoye Fisher. Others are Mrs. Victoria Osesusi, Bunmi Olanrewaju, and Nifemi Ajayi. These people who see me as their “oga” will stop at nothing to ensure that the job is done. Immediately our meeting is over, they send the minutes to me for approval before disseminating. They are so creative and ingenious. I appreciate you all.
But how did I get here? I can’t thank God enough for His mercy. It is God. After God, let me thank those people whom God used for my migration to Oye-Ekiti. Some of them would not want me to mention their names here, but let me thank my bosses and benefactors , the duo of former Vice Chancellors of University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole and his successor, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka. Both of them wrote reference letters for me. However, Prof. Olayinka who has accepted me and my perceived shortcomings did more than writing a letter for me.
I was pleasantly surprised and became emotional the day I went for the interview and Prof. Olayinka’s call came in the previous day. “SS, (as he calls me) where are you now?” , he asked. “I am already in Oye-Ekiti sir”. I humbly replied.
Like a coach, giving pep talks to his players in a crucial World Cup final match, Prof. Olayinka began to tutor me. “Tomorrow when you get to the interview, I want you to calm down and display all the works you have done in UI. With your Ph.D degree, I don’t think you will meet someone who will outperform you. I wish you all the best” He had hardly hung up when tears started rolling down my cheeks. But why was I being emotional? I never knew that Prof. Olayinka and those I don’t want to mention love me this much! They marketed me to FUOYE. They wanted the best for me. They were concerned that I had hitherto been dormant in UI. I am grateful to you all. May God continue to protect you for the benefit of humanity. I am grateful.
Now in FUOYE, I am fast acclimatizing. I am beginning to enjoy the ambience of this beautiful academic environment. I am meeting new people every day. Indeed, God is good.
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