Ex-LASU canteen worker now lecturer hails Badejo as new VC

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A former member of staff at Lagos State University, Dr Rebecca Uduakobong Adesiyan, has celebrated the institution’s newly appointed Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ayodeji Olawunmi Badejo, recalling how the don’s kindness and mentorship supported her journey.

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Adesiyan, now a Lecturer II at Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, described Badejo as her “destiny helper” while congratulating her on her appointment as LASU Vice-Chancellor.

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In a testimony published by The Shield Online on Saturday, Adesiyan recalled starting out at the LASU Staff Canteen between 1999 and 2000 before returning to the university in 2005.

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She said she subsequently worked as Badejo’s secretary at the LASU Ikoyi Campus, at a time when she held an Ordinary National Diploma in Secretarial Administration.

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According to Adesiyan, Badejo went beyond the workplace to show her care and support, including insisting that she had breakfast at her home before they left for work.

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“I can still remember how you would insist that I had breakfast at your home before we left for work in Ikoyi,” she recalled.

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Adesiyan also remembered an occasion when Badejo intervened on her behalf after she was transferred from the Ikoyi Campus to the university’s main campus.

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She said Badejo approached the late Prof. Mobolaji Lateef Adetona and requested that she be allowed to remain at the Ikoyi Campus, having only recently resumed there.

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“He graciously did so. May his soul continue to rest in peace. I have never forgotten that gesture,” she said.

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Years after her time at LASU, Adesiyan’s career took her to Covenant University, where she worked as an administrator for 19 years.

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She later completed a PhD in English Literature at Olabisi Onabanjo University and moved into academia. She is now a Lecturer II at Landmark University.

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Reflecting on her journey, Adesiyan said the lessons she learnt from people such as Badejo had continued to influence her professional life and relationships with others.

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“As I reflect on my journey, I realise that some of the lessons I learned from people like you have remained with me, shaped me, and continue to influence how I relate to others and approach my work,” she said.

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Congratulating Badejo on her emergence as Vice-Chancellor, Adesiyan described the appointment as “much-deserved” recognition of her capacity, integrity, dedication and years of service.

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She added, “Thank you, Professor, for the kindness, care and encouragement you showed me many years ago. Those seemingly simple gestures meant so much to me, and I remain deeply grateful.”

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