The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc Sonny Echono, has commended Professor Emeritus Is-haq Oloyede for his courage in tackling examination malpractice during his tenure as Registrar and Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Echono spoke in Ilorin on Monday while serving as Chairman of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) Homecoming Celebration and Investiture Ceremony for Awards of Excellence, Distinguished Alumni and Unilorin Ambassadors.
The event featured the homecoming of Oloyede and the recognition of 30 other distinguished Nigerians for their contributions to education, humanity, national development and the growth of the university.
Echono recalled that Oloyede confronted networks involved in examination malpractice and worked with security agencies to dismantle organised cartels operating across the country.
According to him, the campaign was challenging because the networks were powerful and frequently issued threats.
He emphasised participating in operations to investigate and dismantle the networks, including an exercise in which suspects arrested from different parts of the country were interviewed to identify those behind examination malpractice.
Echono said the exercise yielded valuable information that contributed to efforts to clean up the examination system.
He also urged Nigerians to emulate Oloyede’s integrity, courage, compassion and dedication to public service, saying the country needed more citizens who placed national interest above personal considerations.
Describing Oloyede as a distinguished Nigerian who had devoted his adult life to hard work, integrity, courage, compassion and service to humanity, Echono said recognising individuals who had distinguished themselves would encourage them to do more and inspire younger generations to emulate their achievements.
“We don’t tend to celebrate the right people enough. Our celebrations are often full of funerals, birthdays and burials. But when you celebrate individuals, you give them the impetus to do more.
“More importantly, you encourage others to emulate them so that they can also be celebrated,” he said.
Echono said public recognition remained an important tool for promoting excellence and sustained performance, adding that individuals who contributed positively to society deserved to be recognised while alive.
He also praised Oloyede for his commitment to inclusive education and advocacy for persons with disabilities.
According to him, under Oloyede’s leadership at JAMB, efforts went beyond providing facilities for candidates with hearing and visual impairments to supporting organisations that prepared persons with disabilities for tertiary education.
“Today in our universities, I understand JAMB even instituted an award for institutions who admit students with disabilities. Nigeria will remain grateful to you, sir,” Echono said.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof Wahab Egbewole, described Oloyede as a worthy product and ambassador of the institution whose academic achievements, administrative leadership and commitment to national development had brought honour to the university.
Egbewole said the professorial chair was established as a befitting recognition of Oloyede’s contributions to scholarship, leadership and the development of the university.
He appealed to stakeholders and guests to support the N250 million endowment, describing Oloyede as a disciplined, courageous and outstanding Unilorite and an “uncommon Better by Far Ambassador.”
The Vice-Chancellor urged recipients of the various awards to reciprocate the honour by supporting development projects at the university.
He called on recipients of the Awards of Excellence to identify projects they could execute, while Distinguished Alumni were encouraged to jointly identify and fund projects that would bear their names.
Similarly, he urged the Unilorin Ambassadors to collectively support a project for the institution, expressing hope that the projects would be completed before the next edition of the honours programme.
