Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat says mentoring remains the most powerful and enduring legacy in academia.

He spoke on Thursday at Abimbola Sangodoyin’s valedictory lecture and 70th birthday at the University of Ibadan.

Mr Hamzat said mentoring promotes personal and professional growth, fostering trust, open communication and purposeful goal achievement among students and young professionals.

He described Mr Sangodoyin as an outstanding scholar who shaped generations of engineers, academics and professionals through scholarship and mentorship.

“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,” he said.

Mr Hamzat praised Mr Sangodoyin’s mentoring style, which encouraged independent thinking while upholding rigorous academic standards.

Borno Governor Babagana Zulum described Mr Sangodoyin as a scholar of international repute and a visionary leader. He said Mr Sangodoyin’s legacy extends beyond publications to the lives he has inspired.

Mr Zulum noted that the professor’s contributions to scholarship and humanity deserved celebration and appreciation.

Mr Zulum said many students and scholars, including himself, benefited from Mr Sangodoyin’s guidance and mentorship.

Former UI vice-chancellor, Olufemi Bamiro, described Mr Sangodoyin as trustworthy, dependable and selfless. He said Mr Sangodoyin’s dedication to scholarship and mentorship had profoundly influenced students and colleagues.

“His leadership, guidance and support continue to inspire excellence and nurture both scholarship and character,” Mr Bamiro said.

Emmanuel Lucas also praised Mr Sangodoyin for his positive impact on academia and the university’s engineering department.

Earlier, the dean of the Faculty of Technology, Adeleke Bamgboye, highlighted Mr Sangodoyin’s contributions to engineering manpower development and to academia. He said decades of service had left the celebrant with a remarkable record of scholarship, mentorship and institutional commitment.

Mr Sangodoyin urged lecturers to go beyond teaching and mentor younger generations.

He said, “The mentorship I received early in my career gave me the tools to excel academically and contribute to the University of Ibadan. Over the years, I learned from exceptional teachers whose guidance deepened my understanding of knowledge and its practical application.”

(NAN)