I spoke of PKL with one of his 400level History student at OOU on monday when she was relating Kunle's readiness to assist and his benevolence. I told the student that is Kunle for you.
Before then, some tragic events have happened
(i) On thursday 19th Dec a younger cousin of mine Rev Bayo Badejo was laid to rest at IjebuOde .
(ii)Same day at Offa the son and only son of my senior at Ijebu Ode Grammar School was shot by ARMED ROBBERS where he died on the spot.
(iii)Same thursday, at Ilese via IjebuOde the murder of a colleague Dr Segun Onabanjo (soc dept) OOU filtered down and as it turned out to be true I was very devastated. He just returned from Thailand where he attended an International workshop.
(iv) Friday 20th Dec, the son of my senior and big reliable Egbon (mr Muyiwa Ogundipe) was laid to rest at IjebuOde. While Segun was also interned same day after a commendation session was held as a mark of honour at OOU for him.
(V) On the same Friday at a police check point at Itoikin (along a border town between Ijebu Ode Ogun state and Ikorodu Lagos state) while waiting to be attended to at the Police Check Point, a truck rammed into my car from behind and wrecked a very serious damage and havoc on my vehicle. Thank God I came out alive and unhurt. Those that saw the wreckage could not believe there could be any survivor. That was how my weekend was truncated. I have to report at Agbowa police Station thereafter. The rest is story.
More painfully, the father of the Offa slain young and promising boy (i.e my senior at IOGS Mr Muyiwa Ogundipe) died on Sunday 22nd Dec. In fact I am relating this personal trauma at this man's Wake Keep organised for him at Ijebuode now by the family. Only to receive another devastating sad news that Kunle Lawal is no more that he had transformed to eternal life and immortality. I first met Kunle in the late 70's at School of Arts and Science Victoria Island Lagos and Later in 1979 we met at University of Ibadan. Kunle settled for History and I for Geography. Kunle was inspirational, focused, determined and dogged. I related with Kunle in many conventional and informal ways. Kunle is not officious and bureaucratic just simple, easy going and bridge builder. We both took to teaching and continued with our academic development. While he went to LASU as omo EKO, I took to OOU as omo OGUN. While I was at LSE in England btw 1986 - 1990 kunle paid me several visits along with Biodun Alao and Sola Akinriande both of Kings College (War Studies). Kunle was a jolly good fellow. We again worked together at LASU (1999-2006). He later via into political terrain and indeed Kunle did wonderfully well. We again re united at OOU where he had taken to mentoring, counseling, and elder statesman in the Faculty of Arts and Dept of History and Diplomatic Studies.
MAY HIS SOUL REST PEACEFULLY IN THE BOSOM OF GOD
Adieu KUNLE (Oree)
Professor Dele Badejo
Geography Department
OOU Ago Iwoye
Ogun State
Professor Kunle Lawal died yesterday. As a younger friend and colleague, he should be the one to announce my demise; that I am doing so compounds the tragedy and trauma. I have known him since the mid-1980s when he was doing his cutting edge research on decolonization in Nigeria. While in London, he and Professor Abiodun Alao (University of London) and Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Governor of Ekiti State) formed a formidable trio of intellectual power and Lawal and Fayemi later became distinguished politicians and administrators. They welcomed me in their small apartment in London in 1988, and Dr. Lawal hosted me in Lagos a number of times.
A versatile scholar, he emerged as the leading scholar of the politics of British disengagement from Nigeria in addition to critical examinations of various aspects of Islam in Nigeria. His contributions to the larger study of decolonization/transfer of power in the British Commonwealth since 1945 are well regarded, as well as major studies on urbanization processes in Lagos. His last set of essays covered aspects of the foreign policy of the U.S. toward Africa since 1945. His publication and research records were excellent, and his passion for teaching was incredible. He was a creative thinker, someone who took pleasure in making fertile connections, and one whose curiosity enriched his studies. In particular, Professor Lawal’s commitment revealed itself through the execution of significant academic work. His research progressed smoothly over the years, reflecting a great capability to accumulate additional materials, to pursue fresh leads, to conduct additional fieldwork, and to synthesize a large body of data. His professional and teaching activities complemented the academic.
His reputation was strikingly international: He was well known within the discipline because of his participation in various conferences and the themes covered by his mature scholarship. The publications, especially those on decolonization and Islam, were all innovative in the way he addressed old issues and responded to new ones. What was innovative about his approach were the linkages that he clearly established between national and international politics, things that many had failed to do. His ability to avoid cheap polemics invested his statements with an aura of profoundness and seriousness. He was one of the most engaged scholars to focus specifically on the category of emerging leadership in the decolonization phase of Nigerian history.
He started his teaching career in 1984 with the Lagos State University as a pioneer faculty. In later years, he took responsibility as a Head of Department, Program Coordinator, Dean of Faculty and Director of academic centers. He served in Lagos as the Commissioner for Education and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
His professional, teaching, and academic accomplishments were laudable. His record for bringing a project to an excellent and timely completion was fully established. Without a doubt, he became one of the most talented scholars in the pool in which he belonged. He was visible in the profession, and his publications, based on original research, were solid and respected. He was dynamic and creative, and he contributed to the professional and scholarly development of others through his works. In addition, his scholarship had implications for policy-making and assessment.
His enterprises reflected mature judgment. He was a skilled facilitator and mediator among diverse groups because of his personal qualities, broad background, and impressive academic record. Nigeria has lost an outstanding historian, a great mind, a collegial person, and a resourceful administrator.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
Toyin Falola
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