Date: 2019-03-17

MANAGEMENT of the University of Ilorin has described the death of Professor Pius Adesanmi as a colossal loss to the country and humanity in general.

Prof Adesanmi taught at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, before his death in a plane crash on Sunday, March 10, 2019, at 47 years of age.

In a tribute, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, described the late Professor of Literature and African Studies, who graduated from the University of Ilorin in 1992 with a First Class honours degree in French, as "a true nationalist, a rare patriot, a humanist and indeed an embodiment of all the ideals that Unilorin represents."

The Vice-Chancellor, in a press statement signed on his behalf by the University's Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, lamented that Professor Adesanmi's death came at a time when the nation needs his robust intellectual and incisive contribution to her development most.

He said that the country had benefitted immensely from the late Professor's dispassionate interventions through well-researched social commentaries on national issues at critical points of its socio-political and economic development.

"Being a committed nationalist, the late Prof Adesanmi was never happy at the state of rot in critical sectors of the nation, and he never kept quiet nor indulged in complacency, as many of his colleagues who had found comfortable solace abroad are wont to," Professor Abdulkareem said, noting that even less than 24 hours before his sad demise, the patriotic zeal in the late social critic was evident on his Twitter Handle where he was still discussing the then ongoing governorship and States House of Assembly elections in the country.

While commiserating with the entire nation and especially the immediate family the late don left behind, the Vice-Chancellor urged Nigerians not to allow Professor Adesanmi die in vain but emulate his patriotic zeal towards taking the country to greater heights.

Professor Abdulkareem then prayed Almighty God to grant his soul eternal rest, comfort the family he left behind and grant them the fortitude to bear the sudden loss of their breadwinner.

Meanwhile, the Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin, will organise a candlelight procession in honour of its distinguished alumnus on Tuesday.