Admin l Wednesday, Feb.09, 2022
LAGOS, Nigeria – Former Vice Chancellor University of Lagos, Emeritus Prof. Tolu Odugbemi FAS, FNAMed has been honoured with award of excellence at the combined second and third convocation ceremonies of the University of Medical Sciences Ondo (UNIMED)in recognition of his contributions to medicine and support to the growth of the young university.
Prof Tolu Odugbemi who was conferred with an ‘Award of Excellence by the institution with three others, who are also the former Vice-Chancellors of Ondo State University of Science and Technology, (OSUSTECH) Okitipupa, ,OSUSTECH now designated Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa and former College President of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. He was a distinguished scholar of international repute with many honours to his credits.
A fulfilled and detribalized Nigerian, committed to offering assistant to humanity and service to God. He had severely thanked God for all he had done for him and that the only thing he can pray to God for now was to assist humanity for the development in his little way .
According to him, his greatest ambition now was to help people with ambition to grow and for them to benefit from his wealth of experiences. He said ” I am fulfilled , the only thing I am asking God for now is for people to benefit from me, and for people to grow from me “
Others honoured include chief Oludolapo Akinkugbe , OON,CFR, a globally renowned entrepreneur and captain of industries; Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (BTO) an accomplished business and management executive, a member of House of Representatives , also the Chairman of House committee on NDDC and Honourable Dr Abiola Makinde, a highly regarded philanthropist , a member of the House Representatives representing Ondo West and East Federal Constituency.
According to the vice chancellor of the university Prof. Adesegun Fatusi ,Prof. Tolu Odugbemi and other three awardees have supported and contributed immensely to the young medical institution growth and development.
Fatusi said with the support from the awardee and others the UNIMED is currently ranked the 3rd best of all specialised universities in the country according to result released by National Universities Commission NUC on 14 December 2021.
Professor Tolu Odugbemi, OON, NNOM, Hon. DSc, FNAMed, FAS was born at Ado-Ekiti, now in the present day Ekiti State, Nigeria on 30th January 1945.
The emeritus professor of the university of Lagos hails from Oke-Igbo in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government of Ondo State, Nigeria. Tolu is Son of late Chief Benjamin Adeniran ODUGBEMI of Okeigbo and Mrs Dorcas Ileola ODUGBEMI nee Fasehun. Both parents were teachers at All Saints’ School, Ogbonkowo ONDO in the early 40s.
After a brilliant primary education at Emmanuel School, Ado-Ekiti and the St. Stephen’s Anglican School, Ikare-Akoko, ODUGBEMI gained admission into the prestigious Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti between 1958 and 1964. After an impressive and eventful secondary school career, he enrolled in the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos to read Medicine during which he also registered as a pioneer student of microbiology.
He combined this with his studies as a medical student and emerged with a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in the Second-Class Upper Division in 1970 and the MB, BS Degree in 1972. He completed his training in Medical Microbiology at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba and subsequently qualified as a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP) in 1976. He is also a Foundation Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College (FMCPath) and a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists, U.K (FRCPath).
He is a Foundation Fellow, (FNAMed) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Academy of Medicine since May 17, 2019.
Early in his career, he obtained a Diploma in Bacteriology from the University of Toronto, Canada (1976) as well as Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) University of Sheffield (1978) and Doctor of Medicine (M.D) degree in 1982 from the prestigious University of Lagos (UNILAG).
He was the foundation Professor and Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin 1983-1985, Professor and Head Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos for several years, Honorary Lecturer, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Sheffield, UK, 1976-1978, Guest Researcher, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Research Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1981-1982.
He was also a former Honorary Consultant Microbiologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, College Dean, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Provost, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos (CMUL) and Member, Governing Council, University of Lagos, January 1997- December, 2000, College Treasurer and Council Member of the West African College of Physicians,1989-1992. Chairman, Research Committee of the West African Health Community, 1989-1992.
President/Chairman of Governing Board of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (2002-2003) and Member, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, 2002-2003.
Member of the Council of University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) Ondo City, ONDO STATE,2015 to date. Professor Odugbemi was Founder and Coordinating Editor, Nigeria Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences. He had previously served as Editor-in-Chief of the Nigerian Quarterly Journal of Hospital Medicine and as Editorial consultant to other medical journals and member of several professional bodies.
He is a Fellow of the Nigeria Academy of Science. Prof. Odugbemi was awarded the highest honour of a Distinguished Fellow of the Medical College of Nigeria (DFMC) by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria for his outstanding contributions to the medical profession. The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, his alma mater, also in recognition of his positive contributions to the upliftment of education, conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Science (Hon D.Sc.) degree on 21st July, 2011.
On 23rd January, 2017, University of Lagos under its Legacy projects honoured him by renaming University of Lagos Staff School Hall, TOLULOPE ODUGBEMI HALL.
The University of Medical Sciences, Ondo city in its 2nd and 3rd convocation ceremony held on 2nd February, 2022 recognised him with an ‘Award of Excellence’.
Prof. Odugbemi’s most recent publications are two books titled “Outline and Picture of Medicinal Plants from Nigeria” and “A textbook of Medicinal Plants from Nigeria” which provide in-depth information about medicinal plants and their usefulness in Nigeria. He has to his credit over 200 publications in national and international Journals and Articles of excellent research in Microbiology and other areas.
Prof. Odugbemi was honoured with the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) for his outstanding and distinguished academic scholarship and Officer of the Order of Niger (OON) on 6th December, 2007 and 14th February, 2008 respectively by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) (30th April 2007 – 30th January 2010) and former Vice-Chancellor, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, (OSUSTECH) Okitipupa, Nigeria (27th September 2010 – 26th September 2015).
Professor Tolu Odugbemi, a recipient of many awards and traditional chieftaincy titles including ALATUNṢE OF OKEIGBO KINGDOM ,1988 ; Fiwajoye of Oke Ayedun, Ekiti 1989, and GBẸKỌNIYI OF ONDO KINGDOM 2011,is a medical microbiologist and parasitologist of international repute and a seasoned administrator who has made many land mark contributions to medical profession and humanity through his outstanding research findings.
Professor Odugbemi is happily married to Chief (Mrs.) Titi Odugbemi and they are blessed with children and grandc hildren. He is currently Baba Ijo of St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Okeigbo effective December, 2016.
