The event, which took place at the Large Lecture Theatre of the Faculty of the Social Sciences, became a glowing testament to Ayeni’s five-decade footprint in scholarship, academic leadership and human capacity development.
Former Minister of Education, Professor Tunde Adeniran; Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Peter Olapegba; and a former UI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka, led a distinguished cast of academics who extolled Ayeni’s contributions to knowledge and nation-building.
They were joined by a former Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH, Professor Adeniyi Gbadegesin; Emeritus Professor Kayode Oyesiku; Dean of the Faculty of the Social Sciences, Professor Ben Ehigie; Head of the Department of Geography, Professor Olutoyin Fashae; Professor Dickson Dare Ajayi; and Engineer Shola Ayeni, the celebrant’s sibling, among others.
Adeniran described Ayeni as a scholar defined not only by academic excellence but by the thousands of lives he has shaped and the enduring intellectual values he has entrenched across the Nigerian university system. He urged social science scholars to ensure their research translates into societal impact, a hallmark he said Ayeni exemplifies.
Olayinka, who chaired the event, praised Ayeni as a distinguished academic whose influence continues to echo across generations. Reflecting on Ayeni’s long mentorship history, he noted the profound fulfilment that comes from seeing former students rise to become colleagues and leaders in their fields.
In his remarks, Adebowale, through Olapegba, described the celebrant as a “living legend,” applauding his devotion to excellence, compassion and institutional development. He said Ayeni’s intellectual legacy and administrative contributions had become integral to the University of Ibadan’s heritage.
The commemorative lecture, titled “Professor Bola Ayeni: Quantity in Geography, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” was delivered by Emeritus Professor Oyesiku, who traced the evolution of quantitative geography and projected its future trajectory. He highlighted the transformative roles of artificial intelligence, machine learning, immersive visualisation tools and integrated modelling systems, adding that future geographers must balance scientific precision with social relevance, values he linked closely to Ayeni’s scholarship.
Oyesiku also paid a deeply personal tribute, recalling Ayeni’s humility, patience and unwavering commitment to student success. He described him as a mentor who willingly repeated complex lessons until every student understood, and as a leader whose discipline, generosity and integrity shaped countless academic careers. He also underscored Ayeni’s groundbreaking contributions as Covenant University’s founding vice-chancellor.
Responding to the encomiums, Ayeni expressed profound gratitude to God for the grace of long life and for witnessing the celebration in good health. He paid emotional tribute to his mentors—Professors Akin Mabogunje, Ojetunji Aboyade, Michael McNulty and Gerard Rushton—acknowledging their imprint on his scholarly journey.
Ayeni thanked colleagues, students and organisers for the honour and reflected with humility on his 45-year career at the University of Ibadan, saying: “I thank God for the grace given to have been a teacher and shaper of destinies. I thank God that I never misused this privilege for once.”
