Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has described mentoring as the most powerful and enduring legacy in academia, noting that the true measure of a scholar’s impact lies in the people they nurture.
Hamzat made the statement on Thursday during the valedictory lecture and 70th birthday celebration of Prof. Abimbola Yisau Sangodoyin at the University of Ibadan.
The programme was themed, “Effective Mentoring as a Veritable Means of Sustaining Legacies: A Case Study of Prof. Abimbola Yisau Sangodoyin.”
According to Hamzat, mentoring plays a vital role in promoting personal and professional growth among students and young professionals. He explained that it fosters trust, encourages open communication, and helps individuals achieve purposeful goals.
He described Sangodoyin as an outstanding scholar whose dedication to mentorship and scholarship had shaped generations of engineers, academics, and professionals.
“In academia, the most transformative legacy is not built on stone but in people. It is seen in the confidence of former students leading organisations and the passion of young educators standing before their first class,” Hamzat said.
He commended Sangodoyin’s mentoring approach, which he said encourages independent thinking while maintaining rigorous academic standards.
“I am delighted to join the retirement and 70th birthday celebrations of Prof. Abimbola Yisau Sangodoyin, a truly remarkable man. Prof. Sangodoyin has modelled and mentored engineering students and professionals for more than four decades,” he added.
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, also described Sangodoyin as a scholar of international repute and a visionary leader.
Zulum, who was represented by the state’s Deputy Governor, Umar Kadafur, said Sangodoyin’s legacy goes beyond academic publications to the many lives he has inspired through mentorship and guidance.
He noted that the professor’s contributions to scholarship and humanity deserved recognition and celebration.
Zulum added that many students and scholars, including himself, benefited from Sangodoyin’s mentorship and academic guidance.
Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, described Sangodoyin as a trustworthy, dependable, and selfless individual.
Bamiro said Sangodoyin’s dedication to scholarship and mentorship had significantly influenced students and colleagues across the academic community.
“His leadership, guidance, and support continue to inspire excellence and nurture both scholarship and character,” he said.
Also speaking, Prof. Emeritus Emmanuel Lucas praised Sangodoyin for his remarkable contributions to academia, particularly within the university’s engineering department.
Earlier, the Dean of the Faculty of Technology, Prof. Adeleke Bamgboye, highlighted Sangodoyin’s role in manpower development in engineering and academia.
Bamgboye said the celebrant’s decades of service had produced a remarkable record of scholarship, mentorship, and commitment to institutional growth.
Responding, Sangodoyin urged lecturers and academics to go beyond classroom teaching and focus on mentoring younger generations.
“The mentorship I received early in my career gave me the tools to excel academically and contribute to the University of Ibadan,” he said.
“Over the years, I learned from exceptional teachers whose guidance deepened my understanding of knowledge and its practical application.”
