In order to shake-off the weight and stress of academic workload of the preceding year and brace up refreshingly- body, soul and spirit, for the challenges of the New Year, Covenant University staff and their spouses were treated to an innovative beach fun fare hosted by the Chancellor, Dr David Oyedepo, during the weekend.
The event, which took place at the serene and relaxed ambience of Suntan Beach, Badagry, was full of colour and creativity. It featured events such as beach splash, seashell collection competition, drama, jokes, choreography, football, scrabble, and chess.
Its alluring and refreshing context, afforded the University community the opportunity to interact, know one another and strike new bonds of friendship.
The conviviality of the event was so reinvigorating and uniquely empowering as participants both old and young, including the Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor, the Registrar and Professors had several splashes and lunge on the sea waves in styles that would humble any professional diver.
Earlier in his opening speech, the chief host, Dr Oyedepo, said the event was not a formal meeting but an open meeting, designed to help participants relax, interact and build new bonds of friendship. He urged the participants to enjoy and fully express themselves.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Aize Obayan, in her remarks said it was really wonderful to start the year that way and thanked the Chancellor and his wife, Pastor Faith Oyedepo, for the opportunity.
Some of the participants said it was a novel outing for them, as they could not remember when last they had such opportunity to ventilate. Prof James Katende, Dean of College of Science & Technology, who went with his wife, said it was a very refreshing good break from academics, adding that he last went to the beach 20 years ago. For Dr Daniel Rotimi, Dean of Student Affairs, who was in the same beach two years ago under the auspices of the Chancellor, it was an innovative way to relax after a busy schedule and get one fit for a glorious year. Prof E. T. Otunola, Head of Department, Biological Sciences, who shares the same view, said it afforded him the opportunity to relate and properly know some of his colleagues.
Another senior academic, Dr O. E. Agboje described it as a wonderful corporate experience he never had since his return to Nigeria after a long stay in Germany. He appealed to leadership to organize such outings regularly as "I like the way Chancellor interacted with us, it gives us the impression of being one big family".
The way the Chancellor played on the beach and interacted with staff was very instructive, according to Mr. Chris Nkiko, Acting Director, CLR, it brought out the humanness and rounded nature of him, which "makes it easy for us to obey his command."
It was not only a beach splash and games, participants also had good bite of the variety of meals provided through the generosity of the Chancellor.