Alhaji Jimoh Ayinla Bankole, Bursar of the University of Ibadan, from 1999 till 2009 was at the Trenchard Hall of the University on Tuesday 26th March 2024 to be decorated as a UI at 75 Ambassador. He was full of life throughout the impressive ceremony organised by the UI@75 Committee.
His investiture as a UI Ambassador was carried out during the ceremony. He mingled freely with many of the other guests. We sat directly opposite each other at the same table. What a rude shock to read on the UI ACADA WhatsApp platform some 10 days later that the amiable Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria had passed on. A huge loss to humanity indeed.
We pray for the repose of his gentle soul. Our condolences to the family he left behind and the entire community of his ancestral home at Ado Odo in Ogun State.
As Dean of the Postgraduate School at the University of Ibadan I invited Alhaji Jimoh Bankole in October 2002 to present a paper on Financing of Postgraduate Education during a two day Workshop on _Reengineering and Repositioning the Postgraduate School University of Ibadan_. Needless to say that he gave a very good account of himself.
Ever since he retired from the services of the University of Ibadan he had also served as Bursar of two private Universities including Crescent University Abeokuta where he was till he passed on.
Alhaji Jimoh Bankole was one of the 150 or so individuals on my contact list that I reached out to in March 2023 while I was preparing for a Webinar on the theme of _Planning your Retirement_. This was at the request of a group of Alumni of the University of Lagos. I was away to Germany at the time. Alhaji Bankole and I spoke for over an hour on WhatsApp during which he volunteered his views on the subject matter. I cannot thank him enough for his selflessness, friendliness and preparedness to give of his abundant talents and quality time.
In all my dealings with Alhaji Jimoh Bankole he exuded confidence and a thorough understanding of accounting principles. A very brilliant accountant he was very cerebral without being arrogant. He was highly knowledgeable and he came across as a very friendly, accessible and amiable person. He was always ready to offer professional advice whenever such requests were made to him.
He demonstrated fiscal discipline during his service as the Bursar of the University of Ibadan in spite of the gross underfunding of the institution by its proprietor. He served under three successive Vice-Chancellors namely Professor Omoniyi Adewoye (Acting Bursar 1998 to 1999; Bursar 1999 to 2000); Professor Ayodele Falase (2000 to 2005) and Professor Olufemi Bamiro (2005 to 2009). It is on record that for many years the funds received by the University was never enough to pay staff salaries and the University had to be taking bank loans to augment the funds received from Abuja. At a time all staff on temporary appointments were relieved of their appointments. The dire funding situation persisted till September 2005. Indeed it was at a reception hosted by the Postgraduate School within the Senate Chamber (now Adeoye Lambo Senate Chamber) in honour of the then outgoing highly successful 9th Vice-Chancellor Professor Ayodele Falase that Bursar Bankole announced publicly that UI had just liquidated all her bank debts/loans. Our joy knew no bounds and Professor Falase was understandably visibly excited that he wasn’t going to hand over a bankrupt institution to his successor.
To me personally, you were always a go to friend, colleague and brother. Adieu Alhaji Jimoh Ayinla Bankole. You will be sorely missed by all of us who knew you. To live in the hearts of those we loved is not to die. Rest in perfect peace.
Idowu Olayinka
Former Vice-Chancellor
University of Ibadan
