Professor Adebayo Shittu
By Boluwatife Oparinde
An Experienced Researcher and Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Professor Adebayo Shittu has told students to be a Thermostat and not a Thermometer in their pursuit of being transformational agents in their campuses and society.
He said this while speaking on the topic "ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE THE MARK OF TRANSFORMATION AGENTS" from Daniel 5:12 at the ongoing 2022 CACYOF Academic Summit holding at Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) on Thursday, 21st July, 2022.
Prof. Shittu, who identified Daniel as a Thermostat and not a Thermometer, defined a thermometer as one that "reflects the temperature of its environment; while a thermostat determines the temperature. i.e., raises or reduces the temperature of its environment to its own."
Eulogizing the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo for transforming Ile-Ife to the end that a university was renamed after him, the Professor of Microbiology who is also a Deacon of Christ Apostolic Church, Mount Bethel, Ile-Ife, challenged the students to be transforming agents in their society.
He also highlighted that there are four categories of people in church, the physically and spiritually unprepared; the physically prepared but spiritually unfit; the spiritually fit but physically unprepared; and the spiritually and physically fit.
The CAC Deacon presented the Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of Transformation as "a complete change in the appearance or character of something or someone, especially so that thing or person is improved."
The leader investigator in medical microbiology who has also won several awards in and outside Nigeria, highlighting the various ills and menace faced by the Nigerian youth, and country in general including, strike, kidnappers, poverty, collapse of national grid; stated that several questions are often asked by the youths such as, "God, why am I a black male/female? Why am I a Nigerian? I am not proud of my family background, we have been struggling, why, Lord? Why did I not come in the ‘70s when there was free education, bursary and cafeteria system for university students, employment opportunities?"
He however addressed that, God's response to these questions posed by many are, "is there not a cause? Who knoweth whether thou art come to Nigeria for such a time as this?" and references to Biblical characters like Moses - a fugitive who became a deliverer, Joseph - from prison to palace, David - a shepherd boy who became a king and Daniel - an administrator and prophet.
The erudite scholar added that, "You are the Daniel Generation (the centre of God’s prophecy, God’s end-time joker, saviors from Zion)" saying that, "if you are a child of God, there is a higher calling that God gives to you. That is the God-class."
Prof. Shittu described that there is an Adamic mandate (Genesis 1:26-31), which he described as, "Man (male and female, as Eve was in Adam) in the management, administration, and control of the earth before the fall. Exemplified in world exploration and the universe, discoveries, and breakthroughs in science, medicine, and technology."
He expressed the abuses and aberrations of the mandate which are racial and gender discrimination, stating that a white man is not superior to a black man (Acts 17:26) and a male is not superior to a female, but only different in the case of the family.
Also explaining the Jesus mandate (Mathew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18), Prof. Shittu described it as a restoration mandate for mankind by which one ensures maximum potential in fulfilling one's destiny in God, adding that salvation, discipleship, and submission to the Kingdom structure are ingredients of the Jesus mandate.
He asserted that Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Pastor William Kumuyi, Bishop David Oyedepo and Pastor Daniel Olukoya have Adamic and Jesus' mandate, having had Doctorate degrees and being renowned personalities through the gospel across the world.
According to him, "Daniel was not a thermometer to reflect the temperature of his environment. He was a thermostat for God that compelled the circumstance to his level – A Transformational Agent."
Prof. Shittu emphasized that, "you are a Global citizen in a location (GLOCAL) – Act as one; You came to this world at the appropriate time to be a transformational agent – the DANIEL generation – the end-time battle is at the professional level; you are called to fulfill two mandates - Adamic and Jesus mandates; a male is not superior to a female, we are created differently to fulfill our mandate in life; no basis for comparison; Pursue discipleship and submit to Kingdom structure; Daniel excelled in his professional career and as a prophetic vessel of God; Daniel, David, and Joseph were 20 years as transformational agents, be a THERMOSTAT, not a THERMOMETER."