By Babs Oyetoro
Within a month, two events were organised by two different notable institutions -the Ekiti State University and Anchor University in Lagos to honour an academic giant and celebrate a colossus in academia in our contemporary time.
Without any gain saying, providence has been kind to Prof. Samuel Oye Bandele, who had the privilege to have supervised over three universities as vice chancellor before his retirement at the age of 70 from the public service. Not many of his colleagues would have been this favoured.
The globally-acclaimed professor emeritus, Bandele is a rare combination of rigorous academic discipline and sublime grace of God, who’s better part of his service is to humanity.
The celebration of this iconic scholar started from the Ekiti State University (EKSU) where he retired at the appropriate age, but the climax of festivities was at Anchor University, in Lagos.
It was a moment of glory for Prof. Bandele at Anchor University on April 19th as the entire school converged on the school hall to honour this erudite servant of God, whom they described as an epitome of humility and human kindness.
Tributes
The management staff, academic and non-academic staff, junior staff, students and well-wishers; they all gave uniform testimonies about this ebullient academician who dedicated his life to the service of God and humanity.
According to the Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC), Prof. Olusola Oyero,
“Today, we come together not just as colleagues, but as a community united in heartfelt appreciation for the remarkable journey of a man whose life has been a testament to God’s enduring grace.
“The purpose of our gathering transcends mere ceremony; it is a profound expression of reverence and thanksgiving. We gather here in this valedictory praise worship and songs to reflect upon the legacy of Professor Bandele – a legacy steeped in academic excellence, unwavering faith, and a steadfast commitment to the advancement of knowledge and the nurturing of young minds.
“Professor Samuel Bandele has been more than just a distinguished academician; he has been a guiding light, a mentor, and a source of inspiration to many folks.
“Throughout his illustrious career, he has exemplified the virtues of integrity, diligence, and compassion. His leadership has been characterised by wisdom, diligence, and a genuine concern for the holistic development of those around him.”
The university’s registrar, Pastor Moses Salami, recalled with glee the state of the school when Prof. Bandele took over from his predecessor and the transformation that has taken place within two years of his sojourning here.
He extolled the leadership dynamism and administrative sagacity deployed by Bandele to tackle the challenges he met on the ground.
“Professor Bandele introduced what he called the Three “Es”: “Enrolment”, “Enrichment” and “Engagement”. With the “3Es”, the students’ population drastically increased.
For example, from the 163 students that matriculated on 14th May, 2022, the number increased hence, 547 matriculated on 12th July 2023, just after one year of his assumption of office.
“We also matriculated 669 on 23rd March, 2024, by God’s grace. The slightly over 600 students’ population after five years of commencement of AUL also increased to over 1,500 in two years”.
The registrar chronicled the achievements of this eminent scholar within two years he took over the saddle of leadership at Anchor as unparalleled.
He posited that Bandele’s footprint is felt everywhere within the campus, thus describing him as humane and prudent manager of resources, having a clear-cut vision as a leader.
Bandele served as the director of education and also as the dean, Faculty of Education and the director, Directorate of Part-Time Programmes of the University of Ado-Ekiti.
He was the founding director of the Computer Centre and head of the Department of the Computer Science of the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti.
He was the first VC of The University of Education, Ikere-Ekiti (TUNEDIK), and later University of Science and Technology, Ifaki (USTI), before the two universities were merged with the former University of Ado-Ekiti to become Ekiti State University (EKSU).
He is an executive member of local and international academic associations. He served as the editor-in-chief of several academic journals in Nigeria and founded the National Association of Educational Researchers and Evaluation (NAERE).
He has also held the position of a visiting professor in the Faculty of Education at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife, Nigeria.
Bandele attended international conferences and presented papers relating to Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Quality Assurance in Teaching and Learning.
In 2007, he was named the Best Paper presentation at the 12th International Conference of Open Learning held in Cambridge, the United Kingdom.
