I rejoice with my friend and brother, Professor EmilOlorun Ambrose Aiyelari as he turns 70 on Wednesday, 11th June 2025, and retires from the University of Ibadan.
My path crossed with his in 1989 shortly after I joined the University services. We met during the Coordination and marking of the WAEC Agriculture Practical examination paper. He was already a seasoned examiner at the time while I just gate crashed into the Coordination centre, courtesy of Professor Akinsoyinu. During the moderation and preparation of the marking schemes, Dr Aiyelari’s (as he then was) voice was very loud and clear. Each time examiners made suggestions that the marking scheme should not be too difficult otherwise the students would fail, Dr Aiyelari would be very hard on us and a number of classroom teachers in the Team would disagree with him and called for caution.
On a particular day, one of the examiners grumbled silently that Dr. Aiyelari was usually hard on them as a Lecturer in UI. However, Dr Aiyelari couldn’t be bothered. By 1990 or so I abandoned the WAEC marking assignment because of the miserable pay.
My chance encounter with Professor Aiyelari at Anwar Islam Grammar School WAEC marking centre was to define my relationship with him from that time.
When he was an Executive member of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) he was brutally honest and straightforward. He allowed dissenting opinions to flourish at the Congress while the majority carried the day. He also insisted that minutes of the Congress must be available or circulated. When he became Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), he was loyal to his Principal. At the Disciplinary Committees for staff and students he never tolerated any nonsense: he was always insisting on strict application of the sanctions as provided in our books. And when clemency or leniency was required, it had to be well grounded and not on the basis of intimidation or blackmail or “politics”.
Ambrose is a practical practising farmer; you need to visit him at home to see when he’s on the farm as if in a typically rural setting! He set traps for big African rats (Okete); he has virtually everything on this backyard farm, including cassava, maize, pawpaw, plantain, banana etc.
Professor Aiyelari is also a socialite and he indulges in all the past-times, including alcohol but with moderation. In 2010 when my first daughter got married he brought all the Aso Ebi for himself, the wife and even for a friend who couldn’t afford it. Ever so generous and willing to part with money no matter how small. Ambrose is a practising Catholic, the father of his own children.
On a good scale, I rate him very highly. He served two Vice Chancellors and he himself became Acting Vice Chancellor which was Gazetted in the University record!! Many happy returns of the day, long life and sustained prosperity ire o
Dr Gani Adeniran is a retired lecturer from the University of Ibadan (UI)
