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You could good picture it arsenic a “smart campus” if we were to deploy a modern description, for an world abstraction which packed truthful overmuch wrong its mean geographical onshore area. The University of Ilorin erstwhile it was birthed successful 1975, germinated from the facilities of the erstwhile Government Technical College, Ilorin. It arsenic appropriated adjoining parcels of onshore astir and astir it, wherever it sat betwixt the thighs of Agbo-Oba and Adewole Estate, successful the superior of Kwara State. While a futuristically planned, idyllic, eye-catching field dispersed crossed a onshore country of much than 10,000 hectares was gradually successful the works elsewhere successful Ilorin, world activities began decisively successful the primal mini field of the institution. By the clip I was admitted into the instauration successful 1982, the faculties of Arts, Social Sciences, Education and Clinical Medicine, were already domiciled successful the fledgling school. So compact was that academe, that you could really locomotion done the full expanse successful astir an hour.
Extracurricular activities flourished broadside by broadside with approved world curriculums. I was ever inclined towards performing and originative arts, including acting and originative writing. Indeed, I acted the relation of King Odewale successful the classical play The gods are not to Blame, written by the renowned Nigerian archetypal procreation playwright, Ola Rotimi. It was the convocation show of the Kwara State College of Technology, (Kwaratech), Ilorin, conscionable months before. As a pupil successful the School of Basic Studies, (SBS) of the schoolhouse wherever I wrote the Higher School Certificate Examination, (HSC) moderated by the University of Cambridge, I was auditioned for the relation and selected. The University of Ilorin, which we abridged arsenic Unilorin was going to supply much opportunities for the blossoming of this flair.
The Unilorin Creative Writers Group and the Ajon Players Drama Troupe were 2 extracurricular bodies which brought students together, extracurricular the schoolroom space. David Cook, the venerated British student who nurtured respective East African writers including Ngugi wa Thiong’o during his stint successful Makerere University, Uganda, reenacted his babe task successful Unilorin. He developed a originative penning people for last twelvemonth students of English, successful summation to the writers’ group. The writers’ radical drew enthusiasts predominantly from the Department of Modern European Languages, which prosecuted courses successful English and French. The section has since been unbundled into abstracted departments for some pursuits. Notable members of the Unilorin Creative Writers Group included: Sola Babatunde, Tivlumun Nyitse, Blessing Wikina, Mopah Aileku, Sunnie Ododo, Wumi Raji, Rasheed Na’Allah, Hakeem Bello, Olufunmilayo Olusunle, (then Adedeji), among others. Guided by Cook and immoderate of our different teachers including Prayag Tripathi, (Indian); Russell Chambers, (American); Stephen Hesbon Lubega, (Ugandan); and Olu Obafemi, we met each week to sermon our teething efforts arsenic cub writers. Some of america were concurrent members of Ajon Players which further cemented our friendships and relationships.
It was from this inheritance that Hakeem Babatunde Bello and I met and became bully friends and brothers. I was successful my last twelvemonth erstwhile helium was successful the archetypal year, but this was nary obstruction betwixt Hakeem and I. Indeed, I graduated successful 1985, but returned 2 years aboriginal for a masters erstwhile helium was successful his last year. Once I completed my postgraduate enactment successful 1989, my eyes were focused connected a vocation successful the media, wherever a fig of my classmates were already cutting their teeth. I got a occupation successful the Daily Times of Nigeria successful Lagos successful 1990, erstwhile the revolutionary, charismatic Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi, was Managing Director. Hakeem was rounding up his masters astatine the University of Ibadan astatine the clip and helium arsenic had abiding involvement successful the media. A 2nd people precocious honours grade postgraduate successful English, I was definite helium could lend to the Ogunbiyi rebuild task successful the Daily Times.
In 1991, I was redeployed from the Sunday Times, my archetypal halt successful the paper octopus, to the Daily Times, the flagship of the organisation. My reassignment near a vacuum successful the Sunday Times and I was desirous that Hakeem replaced me. I definite didn’t person the governmental oregon administrative leverage to bring him successful astatine my level. But I had ideas which I believed we could explore. I tutored Hakeem to get referrals from immoderate 2 of Ogunbiyi’s contemporaries who Ogunbiyi held successful precise precocious esteem. I told him to talk with Professors Femi Osofisan, Niyi Osundare and Olu Obafemi. I assured him that recommendations from immoderate 2 of these literate giants, each Emeritus Professors now, and each recipients of the Nigerian National Order of Merit, (NNOM), volition easy sway Ogunbiyi. My proposition worked. Hakeem was engaged.
Ayo Akinkuotu, Wole Olatimehin, Maurice Ogar, Edwin Baiye, Gbenga Ayeni, each alumni of Unilorin ...
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