Former Deputy Registrar of West African Examination Council, Alh. Abdulwahab Falowo and the Executive Director, Center for Women Development, Dr Mrs Wumi Akin-Onigbinde were among the people who extolled the virtues of the former Managing Director of Trans International Bank, Late Alh. Assan Olasupo Arogundade at a leadership summit organized in his honour by Ilobu National Students’ Union.
The summit, which was also attended by other dignitaries, Arogundade’s family and Beneficiaries of the late Asiwaju of Ilobu’s kind gesture, was held on Saturday, March 21st at Ilobu house complex.
In his lecture, Falowo described Arogundade as a humble, reliable, diligent and selfless man, who was committed to the development of Ilobu, Ansar-ud-deen society of Nigeria and humanity at large.
He added the the late Aare Musulumi of Ilobu land was a devout Muslim and administrator per excellence, stating that he was like an angel to everyone that went to him with a problem or the other.
Falowo said, “The late Arogundade left a vacuum that is very hard to fill. He was a humble, reliable, sagacious, loyal and honest man, who dedicated everything he had for the development of Ilobu, Ansar-ud-deen and humanity at large. Many of us who worked with him know how committed to the course of community development he was.
“Many people are big men today because of the kind gesture of Alh Arogundade. He ensured he provided source of livelihood for a lot of graduates during his lifetime and gathering here today to celebrate him is to spur those living too that there’s a reward for their deeds,” Falowo added.
In her speech, Dr Akin-Onigbinde, who was represented by a former president of INSU, Ibrahim Abubakar highlighted leadership attributes that must be considered while considering choosing who to lead.
According to her, Arogundade demonstrated quality leadership during his lifetime and will be remembered for such.
“Leadership roles emerge as needs arise in human communities. So, the leading role player would be seen as possessing the necessary capacities to carry the followers along in solving the perceived problems. This again, suggests that the leader recognizes the latent capacities in other members of the community which must be harnessed for deployment, to achieve maximum results or impact.”
Also in his remark, the President of Ilobu-Asake Development Union, Dauda Adebisi-Balogun showered praises on INSU for remembering a “departed icon”, a gesture he said will be replicated at the level of IDU.
Adebisi-Balogun described Arogundade as a Pathfinder, who used all his resources to ensure better life for whoever came across him without expecting returns.
Earlier in his welcome address, the President of INSU, Kamaldeen Tiamiyu has said the motive behind staging the event was not only to extol the selfless life lived by Arogundade by to also teach the younger generation the benefits of community service.
Among those present at the event were sons of the late Arogundade, Prof Abdurrosheed Arogundade, Nurudeen Arogundade, Taofeeq Arogundade; MD Ilobu Micro Finance Bank, Alh Tunde Lawal; Prof MBA Ogunsola, Muideen Adeleke, Hon. Nasiru Olateju, Biodun Ologunde, Jare Ismahil Tiamiyu, members of Luminaries Club, Alhaja Odebunmi, and others.
Posthumous award was presented to the family of Arogundade by the union.
Arogundade was in born in 1935 and died on Thursday, December 13, 2018 at the age of 83 years.