By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the death of Nigeria’s foremost educationist and medical professional, Professor Emeritus Oladipupo Akinkugbe who passed on, on Monday, 15 June.
He was aged 87.
A press statement by the Atiku Media Office quoted the former Vice President as saying that the passing away of Professor Akinkugbe was a huge loss to the body of medical professionals in Nigeria and indeed the world.
Atiku recalled Akinkugbe as one of the early generation of Vice Chancellors of both University of Ilorin and the Ahmadu Bello University, noting that his footprints in medical research, which made him a household name in the pantheon of leaders in medical research and his invaluable administrative acumen, would remain indelible.
According to him, “The loss of Professor Akinkugbe is a huge loss to our dear country. The late Professor was an excellent ambassador of Nigeria’s intellectual greatness. We would certainly miss him and his work both as an academician and administrator. His legacies will remain indelible in the sands of time.”
The former Vice President, who is also an alumnus of the Ahmadu Bello University, recalls the many giant strides of Akinkugbe as Vice Chancellor of the institution, remarking that “the solid foundation he laid is the strength behind the greatness of the prestigious university.”
He prayed to God to accept the soul of the deceased, who was an illustrious son of Ondo State and also for his family and associates – especially the global community of medical professionals – to have the fortitude to bear the loss.
