The Yorùbá proverb “Ogún ọmọdé kì í ṣ’eré f’ógún ọdún; ọgbọ̀n àgbà kì í ṣàṣàrò fún ọgbọ̀n oṣù”, which translates to “Twenty youngsters seldom maintain a friendship spanning over twenty years; so is it rare to have thirty elders remain in discussions for thirty months” points to the rarity of good fortune experienced by the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, when three (3) of its pioneer students cum alumni graced the sixty-first (61st) anniversary of the Department along with other alumni from subsequent years.
Business Administration in the Beginning
As jolly and lively fellows, these three wowed the audience further by attesting to the fact that they were indeed roommates in their first year in UNILAG back in 1962. Prof. Olukunle Iyanda; Chief Lamidi Tolani; and Mr. Oluwayomi Alao of the 1962-1965 set, who were present at the occasion as fathers of the day, reminisced on their time as part of the first set of undergraduate students at the University of Lagos. Their accounts of their alma mater created a nostalgic and insightful journey down memory lane for all attendees of the anniversary celebration.
Aligning with the statement made by the current Head of the Department of Business Administration, Professor Bolajoko Dixon-Ogbechi, earlier in the event, that Business Administration is the mother of all other courses in the present-day Faculty of Management Sciences, Professor Olukunle Iyanda, who served as a Dean in the Faculty before retirement, informed that the department then known as the School of Business and Social Studies, was founded along with the Schools of Law and Medicine to make up the University of Lagos in 1962, as one of the three professions recommended in the Report of the Ashby Commission presented to the Nigerian federal government in September 1960.
The Commission advised the Nigerian government on needs in the field of post-school certificate and higher education in the country. The department was established as a joint project of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Government of the United States of America (USA) with the New York University (NYU).
Buttressing the fact, Mr. Oluwayomi Alao described how back in the days, he, his friends and other students of the school studied the same subjects in their first year before everyone chose the field to specialise in e.g. accounting, finance etc., in the second year. The School of Law and School of Medicine adopted the same practice.
Speaking on the social aspect of their education, Chief Lamidi Tolani reminisced on how he created a publication titled “The Observer”, which he managed along with Professor Iyanda. He mentioned also that he was the treasurer of the Students Union in his days, and emphasised that students’ politics back then stood to serve the genuine interests of students and not personal gains.
The event was a unique blend of nostalgia and celebration, with alumni sharing anecdotes of the department’s humble beginnings and how it has evolved over the years. Their journey from being the first batch of students to witness the department’s inception to seeing it flourish into a prestigious institution was truly remarkable.
The alumni emphasized the importance of hard work, honesty, patience, perseverance, resilience, innovation, and adaptability, which they imbibed during their formative years in the department. They attested to the fact that these qualities shaped them into successful professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders in various industries.
The special occasion of the 61st anniversary of the Department of Business Administration did not only bring together the trailblazers who laid the foundation for the department’s success but also reminded members of staff, alumni, the public of the purpose and significance of the establishment of the Department.
The Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Professor Adeola A. Sulaimon, who is also a 1990 alumnus of the Department of Business Administration, assured the gathering that the department would maintain the culture of strengthening its connections with alumni. He expressed profound appreciation to all alumni who graced the occasion, noting that several of the teaching and non-teaching staff of the department and even the University as a whole were alumni of the department.
Professor Sulaimon specially recognised the presence of one of such alumni, Mrs. Oluwafunmilola Adekunle, an alumna of the Department of Business Administration, who presently holds the prestigious position of the Bursar of the University of Lagos. He also gave special recognition to one of the alumni in the pioneer set, Professor Iyanda for ensuring that young Professor Sulaimon did not miss his admission all those years ago in 1985 when knowing one’s status of admission was not as easy as it is presently due to available communication channels.
Some other alumni present were: Chief Taiye Olaniyi of 1986 set; Chief Afolabi Bisi Ola of 1977 set; Chief Shittu Wahab of 1986 set, to mention a few.
Giving Notes is No Longer Enough – Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola
Honoured to have members of the pioneer set and several other alumni sets physically present at the event, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, OON, FAS, appreciated them for their presence and called on all present to utilise lessons from the past to create a future worthy of celebration.
Professor Ogunsola called for a collaboration between the alumni and the university in producing a fit-for-purpose manpower for the Nigeria of today and the future. She posited that beyond monetary contributions, alumni can contribute their industry experience into the improvement of curriculum, such that the university will henceforth produce graduates who meet the current executive and industrial needs.
The Vice Chancellor charged members of the Department of Business Administration and by extension the Faculty of Management Sciences to be at the fore front of identifying what the present reality of education needs to survive and proffering workable solutions and strategies to improving our realities. She affirmed that as knowledge and information evolve exponentially, a major characteristic of the 21st century, so should universities re-strategies their mode of instructional learning to transcend time and space such that students would have mastered the skills of critical thinking and be able to tackle problems that may arise outside the scope of the theories in textbooks or classrooms.
Driving this point home, Professor Folasade Ogunsola asserted that lecturers should understand that giving notes is no longer enough. She encouraged them to engage students in analytical discussions that would broaden their perspectives and open them up to critical thinking right from within the classroom till they master this skill and become coveted assets in the outside world.
As part of the anniversary celebration, two retiring staff of the department; Dr. Uchechi C. Onokala and Prof. P.K.A. Ladipo, received send-forth gifts courtesy of the Department.
The 61st Anniversary Ceremony of the Department of Business Administration provided an avenue for the 1st Alumni Homecoming to be organised by the Department. It was envisioned and brought to life by the incumbent Head of Department who is also a 1994 alumna of the department, Professor Bolajoko Dixon-Ogbechi. The pioneer students’ presence was a proof of the enduring bonds forged in the pursuit of knowledge and the shared goal of contributing to the world of business.
The anniversary celebration did not end without the unveiling of the theme for the first international conference of the department which is: “Exploring the Future of Sustainable Entrepreneurship Development in Africa”. According to Professor Dixon-Ogbechi, the conference hold from Tuesday, May 14 to Friday, May 17, 2024. She also shared details of the call to papers and participation at the conference.
The celebrations featured cutting of anniversary cake, group photographs and a display of wears made by a recent graduate of the Department of Business Administration, Moses Agosu. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola; HOD, Business Administration, Prof. Dixon-Ogbechi and other guests patronised his business.
The 61st anniversary celebration of the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Lagos (UNILAG) served as a reminder of the enduring impact of education and how a small but determined group of individuals can create a lasting legacy. It was not just a celebration of 61 years, but a tribute to the vision and dedication of those who started it all.
