PROFESSOR MATHEW AJIBERO FAMILY VISITS KOGI POLY, APPRECIATES MANAGEMENT FOR IMMORTALISING LATE ERUDITE SCHOLAR

By Abubakar Suleman

The immediate family of the late former Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Professor Matthew Idowu Ajibero, has appreciated the Rector and Management of the institution for naming the Polytechnic Library after the erudite scholar.

According to the press statement issued by the Director of public Relations and Protocol Ufedo Omale stated that the family, led by the wife of the late sage, Mrs. Grace Ajibero, paid a courtesy visit to the institution on Thursday 28th November, 2024, in appreciation of the immortalisation of their patriarch.

Mrs. Ajibero stressed that the recognition was a testament to late Professor Ajibero’s tireless dedication and selfless service to the institution, and expressed profound gratitude to the Polytechnic Management for acknowledging his contributions.

She particularly commended the Rector, Professor Salisu Ogbo Usman, for his outstanding achievements and commitment to the Polytechnic and appreciated his efforts in sustaining the meteoric rise of the Institution’s image and standard.

She prayed for God’s continued guidance for the leadership of the institution.

The Rector, Professor Usman explained that naming of the Polytechnic’s Library after Professor Ajibero was part of the unanimous decision of the Governing Council of the Polytechnic at its 70th Regular meeting held on 4th January, 2024.

He added that other former Rectors who have other structures named after them by Council during the meeting were Dr. Ismaila Isa and Mr. J. Obajimoh.

He stressed that while the Mechatronics building was named after late Dr. Ismaila Isa, the 500 seat capacity lecture theatre was named after Late Mr. J. Obajimoh.

He explained that the immortalisation of the three former Rectors by Council was in recognition of their immense contributions to the growth and development of the institution.

He praised their visionary leadership and commitment to academic excellence, which has had a lasting impact on the Polytechnic.

He particularly made reference to the stewardship of late Professor Ajibero who he said was instrumental to the introduction of the Department of Library and Information Science and the building of the Library Complex.

He also praised him for introduction of Mechatronics Engineering which was inherited and successfully reactivated through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Space Research and Development Authority (NASRDA), amongst other infrastructures in the Lokoja and Itakpe campuses.

“Prof. Ajibero made immense contributions, and the least we can do to show our appreciation is to honour him by naming the Library Complex after him,” he stressed.

Prof. Usman praised Mrs. Grace Ajibero for her unwavering support and dedication, while also reaffirming the Management’s commitment to nurturing stronger partnership with the Ajibero family.

In his vote of thanks, the Deputy Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Samuel Taiwo Olowo, appreciated Mrs. Grace Ajibero and the family for the visit and their encouragement to the uplift of the institution and reassured them that Management under Professor Usman would continue to appreciate hard work and valuable interventions of those who support advancement of the Polytechnic.

Highlight of the visit was the ceremonial exchange of souvenirs between the Rector and Mrs. Grace Ajibero, symbolising the family’s continued connection to the Polytechnic.

The Polytechnic Librarian Mrs. Ozohu Omolola Mohammed Audu and Director, Academic Planning, Dr Joel Akowe, also joined the Rector and Deputy Rector to receive the Ajibero family.