FUNAAB VC, Prof. Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun
Preparations had already commenced in earnest for the celebration of the traditional Night of Excellence, by the University community on Sunday, January 1, 2012.
At a meeting convened by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, with selected officials, cutting across all strata of the University, last Thursday evening, at the Royal Greens Guest House, Ibara, Abeokuta, several logistics and inputs, were considered to ensure maximum success of the programme.
The Vice-Chancellor observed that the University had since the commencement of the programme in 2008 been recording unparalleled upsurge of development.
Professor Balogun was therefore of the opinion that it will amount to a disservice, if individuals and groups responsible for the remarkable successes of the institution were not recognised and rewarded for their exemplary conducts and patriotism.
Professor Balogun humbly remarked that, “All (successes) that were being attributed to the Vice-Chancellor, could not have been, without the support and cooperation of people who share in the same vision with me.
Even in the private sector, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) could only succeed when Unit leaders work in tandem and are efficient in their individual beats. Achieving targets and recording successes is a collective responsibility”, the Vice-Chancellor stressed.
According to him, the University must always improve on its reward mechanism to ginger better performance and increased productivity, saying that, “the 2012 edition of the Night of Excellence must be unique and if people agree with me, I don’t think anything is too much to handsomely reward excellence, resilience and productivity.
Many staff and students have sticked-out their necks and brazed all odds, including intimidation, to ensure that the University’s acclaim of excellence was not dimmed”
Professor Balogun then philosophically admonished that nominations and recommendations for reward for the 2012 edition must be treated with utmost fairness and objectivity by individuals and selection committees, in order not to incur the wrath of God, whom he said will not support mediocrity and unmerited favouritism.
The Night of Excellence has in the last four years been set aside for January 1, every year, in commemoration of the University’s Founder’s Day, to appreciate outstanding performance, extra-ordinary qualities, courage and unflinching patriotism by individuals and bodies that have selflessly contributed to the institution’s heights of excellence.
Past and aspiring First Class graduates of the University are usually distinguished and honoured at such event.
Efforts are at top gear by the University’s Ceremonials Committee under the Chairmanship of Professor Babatunde Idowu, to ensure large turn-out of guests and dignitaries, with eminent personalities, including paramount rulers of the four major geo-political divisions of Ogun State, expected to be present and add royal glamour, by personally handing over prizes to award recipients in twenty different categories.