The VC, Prof. Oluwafemi Balogun and wife, Prof. (Mrs.) Elizabeth Balogun thanking God for a successful tenure as VC at the Valedictory Thanksgiving Service. Service
A Valedictory Thanksgiving Service, in honour of Professor Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, was held last Sunday with admonition to the outgoing Vice-Chancellor to aspire for higher accomplishments despite his impressive performance in office.
Praises and thanksgiving to the Almighty rented the air as scores of relations, friends, associates, societal bigwigs, members of the University Community joined Prof. Balogun and his immediate family to thank God for his benevolence on Professor Balogun.
Julius Amioba Lecture Theatre Complex, which hosted the service, organised by the University’s Chapel of Grace and the Vice-Chancellor’s Anniversary Committee was filled by well-wishers.
Special prayers were offered for the outgoing Vice-Chancellor and his family; incoming Vice-Chancellor; Staff; Students and the Governing Council by clerics from within and outside the University community.
Various individuals and the Anniversary Committee in particular took turn to present quality gifts to the Vice-Chancellor and his wife.
Prof. and Prof. (Mrs.) Balogun were all smiles throughout the service along with their children.
The same was the story with the incoming Vice-Chancellor and his wife, Prof. and Mrs. Olusola Bandele Oyewole, who apart from exchanging banters also extended their warmness to the outgoing Vice-Chancellor and his wife.
The occasion peaked when the renowned motivational speaker, Engineer Abiodun Fijabi, mounted the podium to deliver his Exhortation.
He captivated his audience and held them spell bound with his message titled, “The Dawn of the Twilight”.
Engr. Fijabi said: “Whatever we have achieved is nothing compared to what we can achieve again and again. Therefore, my dear Professor Balogun, FUNAAB where you have made a landmark is not your bus stop, you can achieve, achieve and achieve again!!!
He stressed, “God’s purpose is not to achieve outstanding success one time and fizzle out (Romans: 2 verse 1).
Engr. Fijabi, who lent credence to his message with Power Point presentation slide advised Professor Balogun: “Don’t burn out, keep yourself fuelled and aflame, for he who stops being better, stops being good”.
He advised further, “There should be no regret, Sir. Professor Balogun. I mean no regret. Review the past five years? Yes! We need to reflect? Yes! But no regret. Do we need to repent? Yes! Repent but no regret”.
Make it a rule of life never to regret, never to look back. “Regret is an appalling waste of energy, you can’t build on it”, he added.
Speaking at the service, Prof. Balogun disclosed that God was the secret of his success in office.
The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that immediately he assumed office, he made a biblical submission, “Oh God let your presence makes the difference here “(FUNAAB)”, his watchword.
He pointed out that the biblical submission, which is engraved in a banner that is conspicuously displayed in his office is the bedrock of the University’s exceptional success in the last five years.
Professor Balogun thanked the Council, Senate, Staff, Students, Unions and the host community for standing by him.
The service was graced by the Agura of Gbagura, Oba Halidu Laloko; the Ooye of Iwoye-Ketu, Oba Ademola, Alaye of Odogbolu; Oba Onagoruwa, the Chief Medical Directors of the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba and the Provost of Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta.
Others in attendance were the Provost, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State, Professor Adeyemi Idowu and the representative of the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Essien.