Saturday 30th July 2022 will go down in history as one of the few days that the ancient town of Ijebu-Jesa witnessed the influx of erudite scholars from across Nigeria ivory towers as scores of professors and other academia converged in honour of their colleagues – Professor and Dr (Mrs) Adegun.
The Elegboro of Ijebu-Jesa, HRM Oba (Engr.) Moses Oluwafemi Agunsoye had confered the honourary chieftaincy titles of Otun and Yeye Otun Baasegun Alabe of Egboroland on Prof. Patrick Temi Adegun and his wife, Dr (Mrs) Maria Kikelomo Adegun.
The Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, HRM Oba (Dr) Oluwole Ademolaju and his Olori Teresa Arinola Ademolaju were among the dignitaries, royal fathers and academics present to witness the event at the palace of Elegboro.
Prof. Patrick Adegun is a native of Oye-Ekiti, while his amiable wife, Dr (Mrs) Maria Kikelomo Adegun hails from Ijebu-Jesa.
Speaking during the installation ceremony, Oba Agunsoye described the couple as a blessing to this generation and humanity in particular. He noted that the duo have been very supportive of him since ascending the throne. The Abikehin-Ekun added that the furniture company of the Yeye Otun Baasegun Alabe donated a gigantic royal furniture to him on the day of his first corronation anniversary.
On the Otun Baasegun Alabe, Elegboro described Professor Adegun as an erudite scholar with a humble and humane disposition. He stressed that the Urological Surgeon has been his personal physician since ascension to the throne, a service he renders pro bono.
The Elegboro thanked the couple for accepting the honour, a feat he described as a herculean task before he could convince the couple to accept. He also thanked Oba Ademolaju for the honour of coming for the event to support his son on the occasion.
Commenting at the event, the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, HRM Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, Adugbole III eulogised the Adeguns for being good ambassadors of their families and communities. He described the Yeye Otun Baasegun Alabe as a very supportive wife to her husband. Kabiyesi also noted that Prof Adegun is a Godly man who goes out of his ways to assist others. He mentioned numerous community activities in which the medical consultant is involved with in Oye-Ekiti. He then expressed his happiness that the family is also contributing to the development of Ijebu-Jesa where the wife hails from.
The ceremony witnessed lots of funfairs with the local drummers, local hunters and the indigenous cultural troupe performing to the admiration of the guests.
The reception was used as an avenue for the launching of the Ijebu-Jesa Chapter of the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International.
Born in 1959, Prof. Patrick Temi Adegun is currently the Pioneer Provost, College of Medicine at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE). A professor of Urology with emphasis in Endurology, he was the Pioneer Chief Medical Director of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. He started the tertiary clinical facility from the scratch without a take-off grant and built it to one of the best in the country within a few years. The professor of Surgery is today a member of the FUOYE governing council.
The Yeye Otun Baasegun Alabe is the second of five daughters of her mother. She had her first degree in Agriculture from University of Ilorin. She obtained her Masters Degree in Animal Science from Federal University of Technology, Minna. She then proceeded to Ekiti State University to obtain her Ph.D in Ruminant Nutrition and Management. Her penchant for business and education propelled her to bag MBA and PGDE. She is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Animal Science, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti. Her business concerns are in furniture making and food industry.