A former commissioner for Agriculture in Ogun State, Dr. Adeola Odedina, has received the 2024 University of Wolverhampton Alumni Honour Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Odedina, a 1991 graduate, clinched the coveted prize ahead of three other nominees: Sandra Wallace CBE, James Meehan, and Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim.

According to the organisers, the prestigious award recognizes the outstanding lifetime accomplishments of a graduate for their ongoing and significant contribution to their profession or society since graduating.

Dr. Odedina has previously served as the Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, and as Rector of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta. He has mentored no fewer than 40,000 young Nigerians who have expressed keen interest in smart agriculture, agribusiness, and other related fields.

Receiving his award at the University of Wolverhampton City Campus, Dr. Odedina expressed delight over his nomination and eventual win, saying, “This is the highest point of my life and career. I listened to the profile of fellow finalists, and I said, ‘Do I stand a chance? I am happy this is a reality.'”

He added that he received congratulatory messages over his nomination from the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, who he describes as his mentors.

“I left Wolverhampton Polytechnic in 1991. I studied Agricultural Education, and what I learned became very handy when I was the commissioner for Agriculture in Ogun State, Nigeria, during the Covid-19 era, where I mapped out a roadmap for Agriculture.”