Who Prof. Sunday Otokiti Is To Me - Dr Muritala Awodun (Chairman KW-IRS)

Dear Sir,


Permit me to use this medium to announce the demise of Professor Sunday Oyewole OTOKITI of the Department of Business and Entrepreneurship of Kwara State University, Malete. Before joining KWASU he spent 14 years at Lagos State University, Ojo from 1988 - 2002 where he rose from Lecturer II to Associate Professor of International Business, 8 years at the Covenant University, Ota where he was appointed Professor of International Business and Entrepreneurship (2002 -2010), and was seconded to Landmark University Omu-Aran where he spent 4 years as one of the founding Professors and Director of the Enterprise Development Services and Head of Department of Business. He joined the Kwara State University, Malete in 2014 as the Head of Department of Business and Entrepreneurship for two academic sessions( 2014/2015 and 2015/2016). Until his demise he remained a Professor in the Department of Business and Entrepreneurship.


In his 28 years of academic stewardship, he produced a dozen of Professors, two scores of PhDs, hundreds of M. Scs, about a thousand of MBAs, and thousands of B. Scs.


Please read along with me as I give a brief description of the man OTOKITI and what I called OTOKITISM (meaning Nothing is Impossible):


OTOKITISM: Nothing is Impossible

Until I met this man with a coat of many colours and a world of possibilities, I never believed nothing is impossible. My first contact was in September 1988, as a 21 years old undergraduate, waiting in the classroom for the lecturer assigned to teach us one of the courses for our 300 level Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) Economics (ECO 309: Introduction to Monetary Theory and Policy) as the course was appropriately titled in the University Handbook. Then came in this 38 years old man, newly recruited, who introduced himself as Dr Sunday Oyewole Otokiti.

Right from the title of the course, he started to make his mark, letting us know that the course title should be Introduction to Monetary Theory while there should be a separate course to be titled Introduction to Monetary Policy in the second semester. He did not only just mention it to us, but ensured that he successfully brought about this change in the University Handbook with ECO 310: Introduction to Monetary Policy added to the curriculum by the University and taught by him as well in the second semester. This singular act and several others that followed in quick succession marked the beginning of my journey of 28 years with the man OTOKITI and my study of OTOKITISM a term I have quietly coined and interpreted to mean ‘Nothing is Impossible,’ a true description of Sunday Oyewole OTOKITI, a Professor of Entrepreneurship and International Business.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was brilliant.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was hardworking.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was generous.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was loyal.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was compassionate.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was creative.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was visionary.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was determined.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was controversial.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was realistic.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was lively.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was simple.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was difficult.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was focused.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was considerate.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was careful.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was resourceful.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was fearless.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was strict.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was down to earth.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was enterprising

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was meticulous.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was strong.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was tactical.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was forgiving.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was humble.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was caring.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was principled.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was indulging.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was blessed.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was a servant.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was committed.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was innovative.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was outspoken.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was artistic.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was professional.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was thoughtful.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was taskful.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was dutiful.

Until I met Otokiti I thought I was cheerful.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was accommodating.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was appreciative.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was selfless.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was domineering.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was passionate.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was ubiquitous.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was productive.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was practical.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was decisive.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was hopeful.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was helpful.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was articulate.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was useful.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was a rallying point.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was reasonable.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was result oriented.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was a pacesetter.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was humanistic.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was capitalistic.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was autocratic.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was autocratic.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was a mentor.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was friendly.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was motivational.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was energetic.

Until I met Otokiti, I thought I was a leader

I have painstakingly studied this man and have discovered that he is just a rare gem, a special breed, a gift from God whose life has impacted meaningfully in all lives that he has had the opportunity of touching. He has thought me amongst others the above listed 66 lessons of life in his sixty-six years of living on this earth.

Adieu, my teacher, my father, my friend, my boss, my colleague, my mentor, my counsellor, my inspiration. A man people love to hate, and people hate to love for his readiness to proffer solutions to all problems because to him, ‘Nothing is Impossible’. We love you, but the Lord love you most.


Your Academic Son,

Muritala Awodun, PhD

Executive Chairman,
Kwara State Internal Revenue Service

B. Sc. (Hons.) Economics, M. Sc. Economics, PhD (International Business)
Cert. (Leading with Impact) Harvard Business School Executive Education
FCIE, FIDM, MNIM, MCIA, MAIB (USA)
Associate Professor of International Business and Entrepreneurship (Since 2012),

Dean, School of Business and Governance (2013 - 2015),

Director, KWASU Centre for Entrepreneurship (2009 - 2014),

Kwara State University, Malete,
PMB 1530, Ilorin,
Kwara State, Nigeria