Prof. Bola Okuneye
Prof. Babatunde Idowu
Prof. Okanlawon Onagbesan
Prof. David Agboola
A cross-section of Professors in the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has thrown their weight behind the recent resolution of the National Assembly, approving the mandatory 70-year retirement age for Professors, in the nation’s ivory towers.
All the Professors, who spoke with FUNAAB Bulletin, in telephone chats, described the new retirement age as a “welcome development”.
They are: Professors Bola Okuneye, Okanlawon Onagbesan, David Agboola and Babatunde Idowu.
Reacting to the development, Prof. Bola Okuneye, a Professor of Agricultural and Environmental Economics, Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, said, “it is a welcome development for the academics”.
He pointed out that “for one, those who are above 65 will be stable in the system while their wealth of experience will impact positively on the entire system”.
Professor Okuneye, however, stressed that the policy will pose a challenge to the older Professors to exhibit their professional capabilities.
Speaking in the same vein, a Professor of Physiology in the Department of Animal Physiology, Prof. Okanlawon Onagbesan, also supported the new retirement age.
He recalled: “I used to have a Professor in Edinburgh who was well over 70, as at the time he was leaving the university. That is the standard practice overseas, as knowledge is always there and should not be wasted”.
Also reacting, a Professor of Botany in the Department of Biological Services, COLNAS, Prof. David Agboola said, “I am in support of it, you can’t trade experience for anything because at that age, the Professors are still highly capable and productive in conducting research and lecturing in the classrooms and don’t forget, experience is the best teacher”.
Commenting on the new retirement age, a Professor of Zoology in the Department of Biological Sciences, COLNAS, Prof. Babatunde Idowu, said, “I think it is good for us in academics, especially, in terms of ensuring and enhancing manpower development”.
He averred that “a Professor at a later stage gathers enough experience, brings about quality leadership and produce quality students, especially, those undergoing Ph.ds because the brain doesn’t die, it will continue to gather knowledge”.