Whether educational, intellectual, political, entertainment, business, medical or otherwise, role models emerge from every part of a nation and its composite parts. These role models play a huge part in grooming the youths of any society as they aspire to be like them or surpass their deeds. They are looked up to for inspiration and motivation for personal growth or showed off as the nation's pride. Role models may not be titled leaders but, they are people who found their purpose, lived it fully and by their lives, help others in finding "the way"
The decibel to which the praises of role models are sung, I think should be proportional to their patriotism, selfless contribution, personal achievements. Some transcend national to becoming international icons, continental figures or a world class reference and they should be accorded the respect as it is.
In a continent as ours, where education is still a huge struggle and not much has been done in terms of effort to educate the people en mass, it is very necessary to loudly celebrate Academicians who have left a mark in time so they can be a very near form of inspiration for the children and youths. More so, with the short supply of quality leaders, it is most essential to celebrate leaders with exceptional positive contributions to societal growth.
On the subject, Ayodele Awojobi a Nigerian man stood out in his days as a genius, yes, a GENIUS. Born on March 12 1937, Ayodele was many things. From an excellent academician, an activist, an author, an inventor, and one who was drawn to politics. His brilliance was spoken of beyond the shores of his home country. And his commitment to a better society through education was unmatched.
Ayodele was a straight-A's secondary school student, while at the CMS Grammar school, passing his West African School Certificate examinations with a record eight distinctions in 1955. He proceeded to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Ibadan, for his General Certificate of Examinations, GCE (Advanced Level), where in 1958 he sat for, and obtained distinctions in all his papers: Physics, Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. In 1962 Awojobi was awarded his first degree in Mechanical Engineering – a BSc (Eng) London, with first class honours, at the then Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria (now Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria). He had studied there on a federal government scholarship won on the merit of his performance in the GCE (Advanced-level) examinations of 1958.
He boasted openly saying that it was his intention to finish the whole course within a period of three years only; an impracticable feat due to the fact that nowhere was the BSc Mechanical Engineering curriculum designed to run less than four years. Ayodele accomplished it in three years just as he had predicted.
The federal government awarded Awojobi another scholarship in 1962 to study further at the post-graduate level in the field of Mechanical Engineering at the Imperial College of the University of London (now Imperial College London). He completed the course, successfully defending his thesis, and was awarded a PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 1966.
Awojobi went to London to study for his Doctorate and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, DSc. He was the first African to be awarded the Doctor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, at the Imperial College London. To have received the award at the age of 37 is significant, more so as the degree is only exceptionally and rarely awarded to a scholar under the age of 40
The status of the degree has declined, however, because it is not widely understood but in former times the doctorate in science was regarded as a greater distinction than a professorial chair. It is in fact a higher tier of research doctorates, awarded on the basis of a formally submitted portfolio of published research of a very high standard.
He returned to Nigeria in 1974 and was made an associate professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lagos. However, one week after having been appointed associate professor, the University of Lagos Senate, after receiving news that Awojobi had just been awarded the degree of Doctor of Science (DSc), immediately appointed him professor in Mechanical Engineering, making him the youngest professor in the Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos and the first ever to be expressly promoted from associate to full professorship within a week.
By nature, Ayodele Awojobi was a teacher as he sought to increase the literacy rate of the citizens in his nation. He engaged with great educators of his, and earlier generations, such as the late nationalist and Yoruba leader, Obafemi Awolowo (who forwarded several of Ayodele's educational books).
He imparted knowledge at various other levels, even as he contended with his day job as a full-time professor and university lecturer. He envisaged his country as a whole becoming more advanced, technologically – this was exemplified when he refused lucrative offers from commercial outfits for his Autonov 1 invention, he rather preferring to preserve his design for his country's future benefit.
Awojobi was a very vocal activist who spoke against electoral fraud and in a case, dragged the federal government to court in 1966 over electoral malpractice and rigging. He went from school to school giving speeches and handing out his books.
With such a vibrant resume and more, I can only but wonder why AYODELE AWOJOBI's name is not loudly mentioned in the spheres where he made his mark, and I am very particular about education. Why is it that so little of this academic giant and his achievements are rarely known by this generation? How is it that we live in a society where thieves are loudly celebrated and rascals are immortalized?
We much change this and begin telling our stories, telling them strong, telling them long!
