Powerful and even dreaded world leaders be they, Joe Biden of the United States, Vdlamir Putin of Russia, or Chinese Xi Jinping, are made; so also are billionaires, presidents and natural rulers (monarchs), they are all made. However, stars and geniuses are born. They are not just born, they are exclusively born exclusively for exclusive time and exclusive places or societies.
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In every world community, from ages to ages, generations to generations, in different fields, stars and geniuses are born but in a very limited numbers to provide messiahnic solutions and existencial exigencies; some in form of scientific discoveries and inventions, social-engineering, uncommon literary prowess, revolution/reforms-provoking writings, fiery oratory speeches that provoke fundamental socio-political and economic changes which give directions where humanly, there appeared no way and light where utter darkness prevails!

There is one common tradition that runs through most, if not all stars and geniuses, they were born in the ‘manger’, with poor/humble background, they were not usually born with silver-spoon, in fact some with not even wooden spoons. From our immediate clime in the Southwest, mention could be made of late Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Gabriel Olatunde Babawale, late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, late Pa Tai Solarin, late Prof. Ayodele Awojobi and the rave of the moment and youngster, Imole IleriOluwa (Mohbad), whose questionable death is currently shaking the globe.

Tunde Babawale, a Professor of Political Economy at the prestigious University of Lagos, Nigeria, is currently the Provost, Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN) Abuja, the training and research arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). No doubt belongs to the above genre having born in relative obscurity, grew as a boy in obscurity without any seer suspecting the genius boy he was until when he metaphorically metamorphosed into academc stardom and intellectual icon not only dinning with kings but being sought by kings as Joseph the dream interpreter.

Tunde’s, (as he is fondly called) metamorphosis into manifesting his in-born intellectual stardom began on October 4, 1961, the day he was born into the family of Pa Samuel Otayanju and Deaconess Ebunlomo Babawale (both deceased), a modestly poor parenting but highly discipline Christian background, in Inisha , Odo Otin Local Government of what is today Osun State.

Diminutive, humble, seemingly introvert and outwardly quiet Tunde no doubt started very early to display his manifest destiny for academic distinction when in spite of palpable poor background, he successfully completed his secondary education at the the tender age of 16, a record which today even many children from rich and elite background are struggling to meet.

The Professor of Political Economy rose to the peak of academic excellence through an uncommon route demonstrative of the genius he was born, taking the exclusive and exceptional path of very few like Prof. Wole Soyinka, to further prove the common tradition they share. He had his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) from 1977 to 1985, where he earned two prestigious academic honours: Scholar, University of Ife, and Departmental Scholarship Grant for Best Graduate overall performance, at the Department of International Relations, during the 1983/84 session.
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He began his career in teaching, research, and scholarship as an Assistant Lecturer at the Adeyemi College of Education campus of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in 1985, where he made significant contributions to the development of the institution, mentoring significant number of under-graduates like the late renowned human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, Prof. Olukoya Ogen who later became Provost of the institution, Dr Ademola Azeez, current Provost, Federal College of Education, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, the author of this tribute and many other professors who today are deans in some Nigerian universities.

In 1991, he was appointed Lecturer Grade-1 by the University of Lagos, where he also got to the peak of his career as a Professor. Babawale was voted as the best lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos by the students, in a University-wide survey, conducted during the 2003/2004 academic session. He was the founding, and until 2006, Managing Editor of the reputable UNILAG Journal of Politics.

Prof Babawale has consulted widely for local and international Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as UNESCO, the African Union, etc., and he has also coordinated research funded by Agencies such as the Ford Foundation.  He has manned numerous administrative roles including, Assistant Dean of Students Affairs, Unilag, 1998 to 2000, and Dean, Students Affairs, 2014 to 2016.

He was Chairman of the Ford Foundation Grant Committee, for the Department of Political Science, the University of Lagos, from 2002 to 2006 and Chairman of Intellectual Nodal Contact Committee, a committee set up by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos to enhance the implementation of the University’s Strategic Plan, 2005 to 2006.

Professor Tunde Babawale is a prolific author who has contributed over one hundred and twenty (120) papers to learned local and international journals, international conference proceedings, and technical papers. He has published Twenty-one (21) books and Seven (7) monographs to date. He is a member of many learned and academic associations and societies, including the Nigerian Political Science Association, the Historical Society of Nigeria, and the Third World Forum among many others.

In August 2006, he was appointed Director General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC). In less than 4 years he transformed the then 24 years old center into a world-class arts and culture agency. During this period, the centre organised and hosted 8 international conferences for Academic experts on Africa, and African Diaspora studies both within and outside Nigeria. He also helped in the strengthening of Nigeria-Brazil cultural relations by facilitating the signing of an MOU between the two countries in Abuja, Nigeria on the 15th of March, 2010. In 2017, he was appointed to serve as an Electoral Commissioner in the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission.

He has received numerous recognitions, awards, and honours both locally and internationally, some of which include: the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Outstanding Leadership Merit Award in 2008; Obafemi Awolowo University Alumni Association Excellence in Public Service Award in 2010; the Distinguished Public Service Award of the University of Texas at Austin, United States of America in 2012, amongst several others.
Fanoro, a journalist is an old student of Prof. Babawale.
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