By Bukola Hameed
The Provost, Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, Dr. Rasak Adetunji Adefabi has received with great shock the news of the demise of the College former Deputy Provost, Dr. Sunday Alabi Abioye whose sun set on Thursday, 10 December, 2020 at 69.
He had been committed to mother earth on Saturday, 12 December, 2020.
Dr. Sunday Alabi Abioye who was the College Deputy Provost between 2008 and 2011, according to a release made available by Wale Adeoye, Special Assistant on Media Matters to the Provost, was born on October 6, 1951.
He attended St. Andrew’s College, Oyo between 1973-1975 for his Teachers Grade II Certificate; the University of Jos, Plateau State where he bagged a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies (Christian) in 1982. He thereafter proceeded to the University of Ibadan for his Masters of Arts Degree in African Traditional Religion in 1984. As a thoroughly bred teacher, he had his Postgraduate Diploma in Education in 1997 and finally capped it up with a Ph. D in Christian Studies in 2009 from the University of Ilorin. He was a registered member of the Teacher’s Registration Council.
The erudite scholar who had many journals and papers to his credit, joined the service of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo (formerly St. Andrew’s College of Education, Oyo) on October 1, 1983 as a staff of the Department of Christian Religious Studies.
He was a former Head of Department of Christan Religious Studies; Dean, School of Arts & Social Sciences; Member of several College committees and was later appointed as the Deputy Provost in 2008, a position he held until he retired from service on October 6, 2011 when he attained the mandatory retirement age of 60.
The Sepeteri- born administrator was married to Deaconess Rhoda Adebola Abioye (of blessed memory) and the union is blessed with five upwardly mobile children.
Dr. Rasak Adefabi thanked God for a meaningful life led by the former Deputy Provost and prayed to God Almighty to give the family the fortitude to bear the huge loss.
According to him, “Dr. S. A Abioye was a father to all. He served the College committedly. He was the Deputy Provost between 2008-2011 and contributed significantly to the development of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo. We shall surely miss him”.
“On behalf of the Chairman, Governing Council, Prof. Matthew Odedokun and Members of the 14th Governing Council, College Management, Academic and Non-Teaching Staff and the entire College Community, I commiserate with the entire Abioye family on the loss of their patriarch, educationist and administrator. It is our prayer to God Almighty to grant the academic giant eternal rest”, the College helmsman submitted.