The Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, says mentoring remains the most powerful and enduring legacy in academia.
Hamzat spoke on Thursday at Prof. Abimbola Sangodoyin’s valedictory lecture and 70th birthday at the University of Ibadan.
The programme was with the theme: “Effective Mentoring as a Veritable Means of Sustaining Legacies: A Case Study of Prof. Abimbola Yisau Sangodoyin.”
Hamzat said mentoring promotes personal and professional growth, fostering trust, open communication and purposeful goal achievement among students and young professionals.
He described Sangodoyin as an outstanding scholar who had shaped generations of engineers, academics and professionals through scholarship and mentorship.
He said: “In academia, the most transformative legacy is not built on stone but in people.
“It is seen in the confidence of former students leading organisations and the passion of young educators standing before their first class.”
Hamzat praised Sangodoyin’s mentoring style, which encouraged independent thinking while upholding rigorous academic standards.
He added: “I am delighted to join the retirement and 70th birthday celebrations of Prof. Abimbola Yisau Sangodoyin, a truly remarkable man.
“Prof. Sangodoyin has modelled and mentored engineering students and professionals for more than four decades.”
The Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, described Sangodoyin as a scholar of international repute and a visionary leader.
Zulum, represented by Deputy Governor Umar Kadafur, said Sangodoyin’s legacy extends beyond publications to the lives he has inspired.
He noted that the professor’s contributions to scholarship and humanity deserved celebration and appreciation.
He said many students and scholars, including himself, benefited from Sangodoyin’s guidance and mentorship.
Former University of Ibadan Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, described Sangodoyin as trustworthy, dependable, and selfless.
He said Sangodoyin’s dedication to scholarship and mentorship had profoundly influenced students and colleagues.
“His leadership, guidance and support continue to inspire excellence and nurture both scholarship and character,” Bamiro said.
Prof. Emeritus Emmanuel Lucas also praised Sangodoyin for his positive impact on academia and the university’s engineering department.
Earlier, the Dean of the Faculty of Technology, Prof. Adeleke Bamgboye, highlighted Sangodoyin’s contributions to manpower development in engineering and academia.
He said decades of service had left the celebrant with a remarkable record of scholarship, mentorship and institutional commitment.
Responding, Sangodoyin urged lecturers to go beyond teaching and mentor younger generations.
He said: “The mentorship I received early in my career gave me the tools to excel academically and contribute to the University of Ibadan.
“Over the years, I learned from exceptional teachers whose guidance deepened my understanding of knowledge and its practical application.”
