The Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), has emphasized the need to celebrate outstanding people like late Prof. Ayodeji Femi-Pearse in our society.
Babalakin spoke on Tuesday at UNILAG College of Medicine, Idi-Araba, Lagos State during the Commendation Service for the late Femi-Pearse, who was, at various times in his life, the provost of the College; pro-chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU); Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital; acting vice-chancellor of UNILAG; and founder of Whispering Palms Resort, Badagry, Lagos State.
The lawyer described the late Femi-Pearse as “an outstanding family man, a great scholar, a phenomenal university administrator, a resourceful man and a man of dignified ancestry”.
Explaining that the late Femi-Pearse was unanimously described as a great teacher by many people, Babalakin added: “It will be very difficult to find anybody in the academia, who has combined all the positions he held during his lifetime.
“I am very proud to be associated with him and may his great soul rest in peace.
“He left behind the legacies of service, dedication, teaching and research.
“He gave everything he had to his country.
“I hope we will continue to celebrate people of his pedigree.”
Babalakin appealed to the Lagos State Government to fix the road that leads to the College of Medicine as well as the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, which leads to Whispering Palms Resort.
UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, described the late Femi-Pearse as “a brilliant physician, an outstanding businessman and a philanthropist”.
Urging people to live an impactful life like the deceased, the Provost, UNILAG College of Medicine, Prof. Afolabi Leshi, said: “Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies in us while we live.”