I rejoice with my brother and friend, Professor Ezekiel Ayoola as he turns 70 in the land of the living. He was my classmate in the prelim class of 1980 but we were not very close then. On few occasions that our paths crossed during our undergraduate days, my impression of him was that of a much older, mature and highly studious person. However, as we got older, we became closer through various activities in the Department of Mathematics that involved Professors like Kenku, Olubunmo, Ilori, Akinyele, Tejumola, Babalola, and Ekhaguere, amongst others. All those great mathematicians were my friends, elders and mentors whose fond memories I cherish till today. For those departed amongst them, may their souls continue to rest in peace.
In the last thirty-five years or so, my association with Professor Ayoola became more cemented during our activities in ASUU and also through my relationship with his late brother who was the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly during the governorship of Chief Lam Adesina in 1999. He was a core ASUU stalwart who was always very analytical and unbridled in his conviction. His expertise came into play during the assignment of the calculation of excess work load claims, the forebearer of Earned Academic Allowances.
Professor Ayoola is also a devout Christian, a spiritual leader and pastor of the MFM, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry. He can hardly make any point without making reference to his faith. When he and Professor Bayo Okunade were elected into the University Governing Council to complete the unexpired terms of Professors Adewole (IFA) and idowu Olayinka who became Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) respectively in 2010, we became more intimate. The two of us joined forces with Professor Okunade to issue public releases of our activities in Council which we termed Our Report. It was a compliment to the Special University Bellitin that was usually released after every Council meeting. This didn’t go down well with some sections of the University community but at least it removed the rug secrecy from Council decision or it threw more light on some selective disclosures of decisions on the floor of Council. Today, University Bulletins have been reduced to online publications, and only interested individuals who could make the extra effort are the only ones with crucial information on Council decisions. Professor Ayoola would later serve two terms as a Council member. That he later got elected as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) was an icing on the cake and he must be grateful for this preferment.
During our surjourn in the University Council, we disagreed to agree with mutual respect for each other. He certainly was not a perfect individual as every mortal, and as I used to tell him, God alone has the template to judge all of us when we get to heaven and we should not pontificate excessively over the perceived transgressions of others.
Happy 70 birthday to my longtime friend, Professor Ezekiel Ayoola. Here is to wish you many happy returns of the day, long life and sustained prosperity. Igba ọdun, ọdun kan; Gbogbo igi t’elegbede ba f’ọwọ kan, didun ni i dun. Ire o!
Dr Gani Adeniran is a retired academic from the University of Ibadan
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