OAU honours late Olu Odeyemi
A former Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, has urged universities in Nigeria to be innovative and competitive to remain relevant and engender national development.

Afolabi gave the charge, yesterday, during the 2025 Faculty Lecture organised by the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, in honour of the late Prof. Olu Odeyemi.

The programme, themed: “Legacies in Microbiology – Honouring Professor Olu Odeyemi’s Impeccable Contributions to Science, Technology, and Society,’ was held at the African Centre of Excellence Conference Hall of the institution.

The late Odeyemi, the pioneer Rector of Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Osun State, and a retired scholar from the Department of Microbiology of OAU, died on March 6, 2025.

Afolabi, who was the chairman on the occasion, emphasised that universities must be creative and be solution providers to remain relevant.

He said that if universities dreamt of wisdom and solutions, they would be relevant, stressing that innovation, funding, competition, and good governance are key to that.

The Guest Lecturer, Prof. Oladele Ogunseitan from the University of California, United States (U.S.), said Odeyemi’s commitment to the highest principles of environmental stewardship influenced a lot of people.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adebayo Bamire, described Odeyemi as an icon and a father who had set a framework for others to follow.

Also, the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Prof. Adeyinka Adesina, said Odeyemi was an accomplished microbiologist, whose life was characterised by excellence.

He described him as a mentor and a legend.

In her goodwill message, the Head of Department of Microbiology, Prof. Nkem Torimiro, said the late Odeyemi had done fantastically well for Nigeria.

Meanwhile, one of the sons of the late professor, Kunle Odeyemi, said his late father was sent by God on a mission as if he knew that his time was short.

He noted that his father was a rare breed whose impact was profound.