The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, has commended the Mabogunje family for keeping the flag of the late Professor Akinlawon Ladipo Mabogunje flying.
Professor Adebowale gave the commendation while receiving a delegation of the family on a courtesy visit to his office .
He recalled that the family had promised last year at the burial of the late Professor that memorial lectures would be held annually in his memory.
He noted that holding the first lecture on the birthday of the erudite scholar in the first year after his death shows the uniqueness of the Mabogunje family.
The Vice-Chancellor described Late Professor Mabogunje as an icon who wrote his name in gold locally, nationally, and globally.
He stated that Late Professor Mabogunje served the University of Ibadan meritoriously for 25 years and was for 17 years a professor.
Professor Adebowale said the late Professor Mabogunje deserves to be immortalised because he helped to strengthen the Department of Geography and introduced courses in Urban and Regional Planning.
Speaking on behalf of the Mabogunje Family, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, stated that the family appreciates what the University of Ibadan meant to the late Professor.
Meanwhile, the first memorial lecture was delivered by Professor Taibat Lawanson of the University of Lagos. It was entitled “Pathways to Sustainable Urbanization in Africa: Leaning on Akin Mabogunje’s Intellectual Legacy”
The Chairman was Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, a renowned journalist while Special Guest of Honour at the lecture, was Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was represented by a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Professor Peter Okebukola.
The Head of Department of Geography, Professor Dickson Ajayi, acknowledged the immense contribution of late Professor Mabogunje to the department and also appreciated the family for upholding his name.
The last book written by Prof. Mabogunje, “Egba Palimpsest,” and a special issue of the Benin Journal of Geography, Planning and Environment in honour of Professor Mabogunje were presented at the Memorial Lecture.
It was also disclosed that The Akin Mabogunje Foundation would be launched on 18 October 2024 as a one-stop shop for knowledge dissemination, scholarly research, thought leadership, and the exploration of new frontiers in Geography related fields.
Professor Akin Mabogunje died on 04 August 2022 at the age of 90 years.
