Mentorship, leadership and investment in human capital took centre stage as the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) honoured Professor Benjamin Adewuyi on his retirement after 35 years of distinguished service to the institution.
The retirement ceremony, held at the university’s multipurpose hall, drew academics, former students, colleagues, friends and family members who gathered to celebrate the professor’s enduring contributions to engineering education, research and mentorship as he retired upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Delivering the commemorative lecture titled “Forging Futures: The Power of Knowledge, Mentorship and Innovation in Shaping Nations,” Professor Olawale Ajibola of the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) said the true measure of an academic is reflected not only in scholarly publications but also in the lives transformed, institutions strengthened and future generations inspired.
According to him, Professor Adewuyi’s career exemplified those ideals.
“Engineering is far more than the science of metals and materials; it is the science of improving lives,” Ajibola said.
“The measure of Professor Benjamin Adewuyi’s mentorship cannot be found merely in the number of students he supervised or publications he co-authored. It is reflected in the confidence he instilled, the standards he upheld, the opportunities he created and the generations of engineers, researchers, innovators and leaders who continue to build on the foundation he laid. While materials shape machines, mentors shape civilisation.”
The Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, Professor Adenike Oladiji, described the retiring scholar as a man of integrity whose impact extended far beyond the classroom.
Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Professor Sunday Oluyamo, she said the university remained grateful for his contributions to teaching, research and capacity building.
“We value all you have done and the professionals you have trained in your department, the university and Nigeria as a whole. Success is not measured by the number of years spent in service but by the number of lives touched,” she said.
She also commended Mrs Adewuyi for her unwavering support throughout her husband’s career, describing her as a dependable partner who contributed immensely to his success as an academic, engineer and pastor.
Dean of the School of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering (SIMME), Professor Christopher Akinbile, described Adewuyi as a progressive-minded engineer committed to the advancement of engineering education and practice in Nigeria.
“Oga has been a fantastic personality. As a lecturer, he was steadfast, and as a pastor, he served with distinction,” he said.
Similarly, the Dean of the School of Electrical Systems Engineering (SESE), Professor Adegoke Melodi, praised the celebrant’s humility, cheerfulness and commitment to mentoring younger academics.
He noted that Adewuyi’s encouragement had inspired many young scholars to remain in academia and pursue successful careers.
Speaking on behalf of the African Nano Forum, where Professor Adewuyi currently serves as President, Professor Sunday Oluyamo described him as a mentor whose influence extended beyond professional engagements.
“He shaped not only our work but also our lives. His belief in us and the opportunities he created continue to make a lasting impact,” he said.
In a sermon with the title, “Gratitude and Praise to God,” Professor Olufemi Olubanjo urged the celebrant to remain thankful for God’s faithfulness throughout his career, citing biblical examples from Psalms and Chronicles.
The event also featured the review of three forthcoming books authored by Professor Adewuyi: Materials Design and Selection, reviewed by Professor Isiaka Oladele; Heat and Mass Transfer in Bulk and Nano Materials, reviewed by Professor Henry Talabi; and From Ore to Alloy: Mastering Iron and Steel Production, reviewed by Professor Olawale Ajibola.
Born on July 29, 1956, in Ado-Ekiti, Professor Adewuyi obtained his PhD in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from FUTA in 2003, specialising in production metallurgy. After working for seven years at Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited, he joined FUTA as Lecturer II in 1993 and rose through the ranks to become a professor in 2008.
Responding to the tributes, an emotional Professor Adewuyi expressed gratitude to God and thanked colleagues, former students, friends and family members for celebrating with him.
He also used the occasion to call on the Federal Government to take pragmatic and patriotic decisions that would revive Nigeria’s steel industry and urged stronger collaboration among government, academia and industry to realise the country’s long-standing steel development aspirations.
