The President, Ede Elders Council (Igbimo Agbaagba Omo Ilu Ede), Alhaji Sulaimon Adebayo has described the death of the renowned historian Prof. Gafar Siyan Oyeweso as a collosal loss to the academic community and Ede in particular. In his reaction, Alhaji Adebayo said the Elders are deeply saddened that the Community has lost a highly committed patriot and an academician of repute.
In a statement by the Director of Publicity of the Council, Chief (Dr) Ayodele Adeyemo, pa Alhaji Sulaimon Adebayo said: ‘Siyan was a philanthropist, humble, amiable and was always willing to be a pathfinder to our youths, sponsoring and mentoring our willing and aspiring youths in Ede community. He was a man with large mind’.
Another elder, Chief Adebunmi Adeleke said Prof Oyeweso was always eager to assist in things that would shape the future of Ede youths especially in their academic needs and job pursuits. ‘He was a great mentor to our youths. Ede would miss him sorely’, Pa Adeleke said in a regrettable mood.
For Professor John Ayoade, a prominent Ede elder, who is also an Emeritus Professor of Political Science, University of Ibadan, said he was shocked on hearing of Siyan’s sudden death. Prof Ayoade described Prof Oyeweso as ‘an illustrious son of Ede. Definitely his death has would create a yawning gap in his natal community, Nigerian academia and the country generally. He was marvelous researcher and historian’.
Professor Siyan Oyeweso until his death was the Provost and Chairman of Council Obafemi Awolowo University, his Alma Mater, Provost College of Post Graduate Studies, Osun State University, a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, (FNAL). As a renowned academic and reputable researcher, and historian of reference, Prof Siyan authored many books and numerous articles in world class journals. He was equally versatile using the Media for education on culture, and people of Yoruba race. His books on ‘History of Ede’, a documentary on Oba John Adetoyese Laoye, Timi of Ede and many other prominent traditional moarchs remain legacies. The book titled ‘Ede Icons and the Making of Modern in Nigeria’ edited by Prof Oyeweso is a Collective Biographies that situates the Ede people in the larger context of Nigeria history. It is a collection of essays on Iconic EDE traditional and modern elites who have made a significant contributions to the community, state and national development.
In deed Professor Gafar Siyan Oyeweso loved his people. His death is painful but it is in line with human divine destiny. The Ede Elders Council commiserates with His Imperial Majesty Oba Dr Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa 1, Timi of Ede, the Ede Community, the Academic community and in particular his immediate family. We pray that Professor Gafar Siyan Oyeweso’s kind soul repose in the Aljaena Fidrous.
