UNIOSUN Institutes N1m Prize For Best Graduates In Governor’s name

Osun State University, Osogbo has instituted a million naira annual award of excellence for best graduating students in the name of Governor of Osun State Mr Rauf Aregbesola.

The university also produced a fanciful photobook to celebrate the Governor on his 60th birthday. The award shall be known as Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola prize.

A letter of notification on the award of excellence was presented to the Governor along with five copies of the table-size photobook during his birthday celebration at the Government House in Osogbo on Thursday, 26th May,  2017.

One of the glossy pages of the photobook is adorned by the scanned copy of the letter,  signed by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Labode Popoola and the Acting Registrar, Mr Gafar Adebayo Shittu.

Other pages of the book are beautifully dotted with picture panorama of Mr. Governor with honest, objective and even critical appraisal of him as congratulatory messages from a cross section of the University Community, including the Chancellor,  Dr. Folorunso Alakija and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Ali (SAN).

The Public Relations Officer of the University, Mr.  Jibola Oyekunle, said the book is a pictorial chronicle of the Governor’s youthful days and an eloquent expression of his outstanding achievements in the state within the last seven years, particularly in education and infrastructure development.

According to Oyekunle,  “Quest for a humble and unique way to celebrate exemplary leadership as demonstrated so far by Aregbesola as Visitor to the University and Governor of the State of Osun, gave birth to the idea of a colourful photobook  titled “Our Thoughts at UNIOSUN: a collection of tributes in honour of our Visitor”.

“Emanating from the creative mind of the Vice-Chancellor,  this novel idea was planted in March this year when a message was sent to all members of the University community including the staff,  students management and members of the Governing Council.

“By the third week of May,  this beautiful mustard seed had germinated with heavy loads of tributes, the harvest of which culminated in the production of the 33-page photobook.

“The production of photobook and institution of Award in honour of Ogbeni Aregbesola are in line with academic culture, which frowns at the general practice of pasting adverts on newspaper pages in commemoration of anniversaries.

“The institution of a one million naira (N1,000, 000) annual award for the best graduating students in the colleges and the best overall graduating student in the University was approved by Council at its meeting held on 19th April, 2017.

“The University is hopeful that this token sum will in leaps and bounds through contributions by friends and well-wishers to enable her sustain the award in perpetuity, Oyekunle examined.