Former General Secretary, NUPENG, Deputy President, NLC and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, stalwart and former member of House of Representatives, Hon. Dr. Joseph Iranola Akinlaja, has been honoured with the University of Medical Sciences, UNIMED, HEROS Awards as a sign of appreciation for his magnitudious contributions to the development of the University and unalloyed community development consciousness.
The former lawmaker was honoured at the maiden edition of the award alongside numerous eminent personalities from all walks of life to mark the first convocation ceremony of the University.
Hon. Joseph Akinlaja was the member representing Ondo East and West Constituency I at the green chamber of the National Assembly between 2011 to 2019. He was known within his Honorable colleagues for his matured, nationalistic, constructive and developmental contributions to proceeding on the floor of the house, and as a man who projects his rich cultural heritage of Ondo Kingdom which is evident in his unique and trademark mode of dressing.
The UNIMED Hero award was borne out of the University’s appreciative gesture to honour deserving members of the public who have immensely contributed to the development of the citadel of higher learning, inaugurated four years ago by the administration of the former governor of Ondo state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko .
Hon. Akinlaja’s stellar performance in the education sector, robust contributions to the development of human capital development, in and outside office, are some of the reasons the UNIMED, first medical university in sub-saharan Africa, considered him to have deserved the prestigious award.
During his time in office as Honorable member of the National Assembly, Akinlaja, was able to facilitate for UNIMED, a 150million Naira constituency project worth a building to the faculty of Clinical Sciences, besides his monthly voluntary donation of a hundred thousand Naira as one of the members of a constituted developmental group called Friends of UNIMED, for the year 2015.
As a community conscious man, some human capital and community intervention development projects embarked upon by Hon Akinlaja as a rep member include but not limited to payment of WAEC and NECO fees for indigent but brilliant students, free summer lesson for various secondary school students in Ondo East and West Local Government Area, procurement of power transformer for more than 10 communities and settlements, installation of boreholes in different communities, distribution of over 20,000 free exercise books to pupils in Ondo East/West L.G.A, building and renovation of block of classrooms for some primary and secondary schools, among others.
Other developmental interventions facilitated by Hon. Akinlaja include employment opportunities for able professional job seekers, training and procurement of equipments for various artisans and youths, and provision of interest-free loan to cooperative bodies and market women.
Other dignitaries honoured at the event include the incumbent governor of Ondo state, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, wife, Arabirin Betty Ayanwu Akeredolu, immediately past governor of Ondo state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko CON, Osemawe of Ondo, His Royal Majesty Oba Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo and Osemawe in Council, Deji of Akure, His Royal Majesty Oba Aladelusi Aladetoyionbo, His Royal Majesty Oba Akadiri Momoh, the Olukare of Ikare, Prof. Abubakar A. Rasheed, Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, Dr. T. A B. Sanusi, Registrar, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria among others.
