Ronke Kehinde/
Six years after its establishment, Ibadan City Polytechnic yesterday held its maiden convocation and conferred Honorary Fellowships on eminent personalities, including the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji (Aje Oguguluso I), the King of World Beat, King Sunny Ade, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Adeleye Oyebade mni, and the former Deputy Governor of Oyo State – Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo.
The 2-day ceremonies, which began on Tuesday with presentations from former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Group Managing Director of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Mr. Adewale Raji, reached a crescendo yesterday with King Sunny Ade raising the roof, inside the Campus’ Nathaniel Oladipo Hall, with performances before and after he was conferred with his award by the Chairman of the Governing Council of ICP, Ambassador (Dr) Yemi Farounbi, OON, assisted by the Rector of the Institute – Elder Oludayo Makinde, the Registrar – Mrs. Oluwaseyi Ojo, and the Dean of Engineering, Dr. Babatunde Emmanuel.
It was a day the Proprietor of the private institution, Dr. Amos Ajanaku, would have hugged if he could get his arms around it.
The ICP Honorary Fellowship conferred on the Olubadan was received by the Ashipa – High Chief Eddy Oyewole.
Dr Yemi Farounbi presents ICP Honorary Fellowship to DIG Oyebade mni as the Rector, Elder Makinde looks on. 
High Chief Eddy Oyewole receives Olubadan’s ICP Honorary Fellowship award from Dr Yemi Farounbi
Elated at the progress so far made by ICP, Dr. Farounbi commended the commitments of the graduating students. He spoke about the rigors they have gone through, as he admonished them on what the future holds as the school opens the gate to the outside world for them.
He gave 10 mantras that would help them navigate successfully in their desires and destinations.
He said, “All human beings are created equal. Don’t consider that anybody is genuinely superior to you. You must not accept an inferiority complex. Neither should you accept mediocrity, because you have been trained in Ibadan City Polytechnic to the highest tradition of academic excellence.
“Never play second fiddle to anyone. Set your goals and go for them. Your time is limited. If you spend 150 years on this planet, your time is limited, and every day is a race against time. Don’t waste your time, by living someone else’s life…
“Two. Beware of destiny destroyers. Don’t listen to them. Visualize your goals and pursue it…
“Three. You’ll never truly know yourself until you have been tested by adversity. You cannot be a success in this world without going through the purifying fire of adversity… Your greatness will depend on how you confront this adversity. Think of how to convert every obstacle into a steppingstone; every retreat into an advance; your greatness depends on your heart and inner strength. Not really on your education. Your future is yours to create. No matter what the circumstances may be, I plead with you, that the safest path for you is to follow your passion.
“Four. Don’t go looking for the perfect opportunity. What we have is the right opportunity. The perfect opportunity will never come. Learn from failures and obstacles.
“Five. All the problems we have in Nigeria, and, indeed, the world, are created by man. There’s no problem that God created. We, human beings, citizens of this country, and citizens of the world; we create all the problems. Because the problems are created by them, they therefore will be resolved and can be resolved by them. As graduates of ICP, I want to see you as the human beings that solved the problems that human beings have created. We carry within us all that we need to change this world. We have within us, the power to make this world a better place. So, as you go out today as graduates of ICP, be the change agent that will make the world a better place.”
Dr. Farounbi urged the graduands to go into the world and see which of the problems they can fix and where their services are needed. “Fill that gap, then you create a job,” he said.
“Recognize that change is a constant feature of life. Don’t get frightened or frustrated. Things will change.”
Dr. Farounbi also urged them to apply wisdom during moments of problems, uncertainties.
He said, “To grow to be what you need to be, you need freedom, but true freedom involves attention, awareness, and discipline. Don’t feel that because you are graduating today, you are now free to do whatever you like. That will be license; that will not be freedom. Freedom requires discipline. And the freedom that arises from the education we have given you here is of self-discipline.
“You’ve learned the management of time, the management of money, the management of resources, and the management of relationships. Without a proper understanding and a disciplined approach to the management of all of these, you may not achieve the goal that you want. The pride of ICP is in your hand. You are the ambassador.”
The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Muhammed Bugaje, was represented by Mr. Majiyagbe Olubode.
Delivering the goodwill message of Prof. Bugaje, Olubode said, “In every society, there are educational aspirations and expectations. In Nigeria, there are expectations regarding the level of performance of students and graduates of our technical and professional institutions. One major aspiration of Nigeria is to have a strong diversified, competitive, and technologically enabled economy that will adequately harness the energies and the talents of its people. Therefore, it is thought that you, the graduate of Ibadan City Polytechnic, Ibadan, will effectively exploit the natural resources and endowments of the citizens and improve their standard of living when the right skills and appropriate technology is applied. You’re not expected to be entirely job seekers, but also to create jobs.”
He stressed that the backbone of Nigeria’s economy is the nation’s skilled workforce.
Dr. Matthew Ojedokun from the University of Ibadan, who stood in for Chief Adeyemo shared his work experience at Shell and the value attached to those with technical education. He told the graduating students that their skills would fetch them more money.
King Sunny Ade expressed his appreciation with songs that left everybody inside the packed all yearning for more.
Speaking on behalf of the award recipients, DIG Oyebade, who described ICP as special, unique, and extraordinary, talked about Dr. Ajanaku’s commitment to education and his selflessness. He said that the host community loved ICP because the authorities ensured discipline and there is no gangsterism or cultism in the Institution.
He also commended Dr. Ajanaku for housing the students in very secured hostel at ICP’s temporary site.
Oyebade added, “Our God is the maker of Heaven and Earth, and he is the only one who can recognize you. When God recognizes you, He will do it through those he has chosen. So, we want to appreciate you for counting us worthy of this award. We’ll try and do more; we’ll join hands in lifting Ibadan City Polytechnic to greater heights.”
He thanked the Chairman, Governing Council, and all board members of ICP, and called on the graduands to go and excel.
The event was attended by members of the Oyo State House of Assembly, commissioners, and a galaxy of traditional rulers.
Other recipients of Fellowship awards are the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan; the Group Managing Director of Sumal Food Limited, Mr. Souhail Joseph Nassar, and the Oluwo of Iwoland – Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi (Telu 1).
Prizes were also presented to graduands who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of study during the 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 Academic Sessions.
Watch KSA’s performances: