OAU Registrar Hosts FUMMSA Counterpart, Strengthens Institutional Relationship

The Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Mr. Kamardeen Adetunji Bakare, has received his counterpart from the Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Abeokuta (FUMMSA), Dr. Olukayode Gregory Obayomi, on a courtesy visit held on the sidelines of OAU’s 430th Inaugural Lecture.

Dr. Obayomi was accompanied by the Public Relations Officer of FUMMSA, Mr. Olanrewaju Elufowoju. The delegation was warmly received by Mr. Bakare in an atmosphere characterised by friendship, professional camaraderie and memories of the FUMMSA Registrar’s longstanding relationship with Great Ife.

The visit was particularly significant as it provided Dr. Obayomi with an opportunity to return to his alma mater more than 15 years after completing his Master’s degree in International Relations at OAU.

Welcoming his counterpart, Mr. Bakare described Dr. Obayomi as a worthy alumnus of Great Ife, noting that the FUMMSA Registrar obtained both his first and second degrees from the institution.

He expressed delight at welcoming Dr. Obayomi back to the campus and emphasised the enduring relationship between alumni and their alma mater, regardless of where their professional responsibilities subsequently take them.

In his remarks, Dr. Obayomi expressed appreciation for the warm reception accorded him. He described the occasion of the 430th Inaugural Lecture as an appropriate opportunity to reconnect with the OAU Registrar and revisit the institution where an important chapter of his academic journey was written.

The courtesy visit also provided the two Chief Administrative Officers with an opportunity to hold wide-ranging professional discussions on the administration and advancement of university registries in Nigeria.

Their discussions covered issues relating to effective Registry administration, contemporary challenges confronting university administration and the need for strategic responses to strengthen the efficiency and professionalism of Registry operations.

The two Registrars also explored possible areas of collaboration and knowledge exchange between their institutions, with emphasis on establishing a mutually beneficial and symbiotic relationship between OAU, a 65-year-old first-generation university, and FUMMSA, a three-year-old specialised medical university still in the formative stages of institutional development.

The engagement highlighted the importance of inter-university relationships in promoting the exchange of administrative knowledge, experience and best practices, particularly between institutions at different stages of their institutional development.

A major highlight of the meeting was an invitation extended by Mr. Bakare to Dr. Obayomi and the entire FUMMSA Registry to attend the 10th OAU Registry Lecture scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, 2026.

The lecture is being organised as part of activities commemorating the 65th anniversary of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. It is expected to bring together members of the university community, administrators and stakeholders within and beyond the Nigerian university system.

The invitation was warmly received by the FUMMSA Registrar, who expressed appreciation for the gesture and the opportunity it provides for further interaction between the two Registries.

The visit took place against the backdrop of OAU’s 430th Inaugural Lecture, which was delivered by the Pioneer Vice-Chancellor of FUMMSA, Professor Fatiu Abiola Arogundade, a Professor of Medicine specialising in Nephrology.