Akinpelu Oludele Adesola - Online Memorial Website

Papa Akinpelu Oludele Adesola was born in Aba on November 6, 1927 to Chief Bamgboye Fasina Adesola MBE, (Bariyun of Isaga and Bajito of Ibara, Abeokuta) and Mrs. Beatrice Ibilola Adeteju Adesola (nee Dedeke). He attended Saint Jude's School in Ebute-Metta, Lagos in 1935 where he was actively involved in the Sunday School Choir. The Adesola household which had a strong Christian foundation was filled with music lovers who enjoyed, played and sang church hymns. He proceeded to Abeokuta Grammar School (AGS), Ogun State in 1942 (with his cousin Late Deinde Ogunsola) under the tutelage of the Reverend I.O. Ransome-Kuti, the school Principal. He became Senior School Prefect based on his outstanding performance and strong discipline. His passion for the medical profession was borne out of a need to reduce the high mortality rate prevalent amongst his age mates and a great yearning for knowledge, particularly in educating and helping people. He became a foundation medical student of University College Ibadan (UCI) in 1948. Instead of seating for the final school certificate examination, his admission to university was accelerated due to a report of the Elliot Commission on Higher Education in West Africa. The report paved the way for the creation of the first university in Nigeria - University College Ibadan (UCI). Papa became part of a group of 500 science students who participated in a crash course and a series of three exams to qualify for admission to the University College Ibadan. Eventually, 25 of them qualified to go for clinical training in the medical school. After successfully completing the MB exams at UCI, he proceeded to the Queens University Belfast. Papa attended clinical courses at the Royal Victoria Hospital (otherwise known as “The Royal”), which is the teaching hospital of Queen's University Belfast It was on his brief return to Nigeria (1957-8) to perform his post-registration year at UCI that he met his wife to be Miss Oyebola Olabimpe Sodeinde (daughter of Late Chief (Dr.) E.N.O. Sodeinde, MBE; OFR and late Mrs. Bolaji Sodeinde (nee Kinoshi) of Abeokuta). He returned to Queens and RVH as a postgraduate student, and on November 22nd, 1959, then Dr. Adesola and Miss Oyebola Sodeinde were married at Saint Martins in the Field, Trafalgar Square, London. He completed his postgraduate work at Queens, the Royal Victoria Hospital and the Royal College of Surgeons of England. During his education in Belfast he became friends with the likes of George Johnston and Sam Meshida (who were his co-students). He also befriended a group of people who became known as his “Belfast family”. He considered them to be his second family who watched over him, advised him and treated him as part of their family. The “Belfast family” consisted of: the Late Mr. Harry & Mrs. Charlotte Gardiner and their children, Jean & Lottie; Mr. Desmond & Mrs. Lottey O'Neill and their children - Joan, Maureen & Stephen. Incidentally, his nicknames for the children were “wee Joan”, “little Mo” and “tiny Steve”. Papa’s achievements as an accomplished Academic Surgeon began early in his academic/professional career at The Queen's University of Belfast and The Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. In 1960, he obtained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, followed in 1961 by a successful defense of his Master of Surgery (M.Ch.) research thesis titled “Hypenparathyroidism and the Alimentary Tract”. He returned to Nigeria in 1961, and was appointed Second Year Senior Surgical Registrar, Professorial Unit, University College Hospital, (UCH) Ibadan. In June 1962, he was appointed Lecturer in Surgery and Consultant Surgeon at the new University of Lagos Medical School (ULMS) and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) respectively. Thus began the first movement in his career as a fully qualified academic surgeon. Under a staff exchange programme between the ULMS and the University of Rochester, New York, he spent a year (1963-64) as Senior Buswell Research Fellow at the University of Rochester Medical (Rochester, New York, USA) under Professor Charles Rob and Dr, Seymour Schwartz. He returned to ULMS and thus began his career in the service of the Nigerian University System. The University of Lagos Medical School/Teaching Hospital complex was his sole employer and accounted for a substantial portion of his career service. Based solely on appointment designations, his Curriculum Vitae would record the following services in the Nigerian University System: Institution Position Dates University of Lagos Lecturer/Consultant, UNILAG Medical School 1962 Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor/Consultant 1964 - 1967 Professor/Consultant 1967 - 1988 Deputy Provost CMUL 1972 - 1974 Deputy Vice-Chancellor 1975 - 1977 University of Ilorin Vice-Chancellor 1978 - 1981 University of Lagos Vice-Chancellor 1981 - 1988 In 1978, he was in the second year of his appointment as Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, when he was appointed, by the then military government, to become the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin. There he helped build the capacity of the University student population and physical capacity. By April 1981, he was appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Akoka where his reputation as “Mr. Task Force”, “the Committee VC”, “Action Man”, “The man who hates Abandoned Projects”, was well known. He built the Senate House, revamped the dwindling UNILAG computer centre, guest houses, and established the on-campus secondary school for children of university staff i.e. the International School (which is considered to be amongst the top 20 schools in Nigeria). He constructed road kerbs which were so sturdy and strong that they were known to damage a few cars that hit them. The kerbs became popularly known as “eyin Adesola” (Adesola’s teeth). His ability to achieve results in record time earned him another term as Vice Chancellor. He voluntarily retired from university service in 1988. At the beginning of his career, Prof. Adesola worked with the Late Professor H. Orishejolomi Thomas (Dean of the Medical School) and Professor F. O. Dosekun (the Vice-Dean). In 1967, he was appointed to the chair of Surgery - as full Professor in the Department. He was also in charge of the Gastroenterology Unit which was his specialty. He went to Japan for two months where he gained experience in Research and Endoscopy, with one of the world renowned academic surgeons at that time - Professor Kurokawa. He was recognized for his knowledge and expertise in Gastroenterology of which he has published numerous articles and journals. He was known to have lectured and trained many physicians and professors who are also well known in their own rights. Under his leadership a new viable Gastroenterology Unit-well equipped for gastrointestinal endoscopy and modern research -was established at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in 1967-68. The Unit's dynamic programme provided hands-on training for capable, research oriented young Surgeons by experts in institutions locally and overseas. The year 1967 also saw the inauguration of the West African Society of Gastroenterology, of which Professor Adesola was the Foundation President (1967-1972), followed by the birth of the Nigerian Surgical Research Society, with Prof. Adesola as Foundation President (1975-1979). A pioneer in virtually all aspects of his administrative career, Papa was a founding member of the faculty of the University of Lagos in 1962 and played an active role in the establishment and future development of the new medical school and teaching hospital. Outside the University, he also served on several boards and committees such as Chairman, Management Board, National Orthopaedic Hospitals, Nigeria (1977-78). A founding member of the West African College of Surgeons, which comprises surgeons (Anglophone and Francophone) from all over West Africa. Professor Adesola was one of the major actors in the transformation of what was once an Association of Surgeons of West Africa (1962) into a College charged with responsibility for training and certification of surgeons in 1973; he was Vice President of the College (1973-75); and President (1975-77) and was a Trustee of the College since 1986. A member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) from 1978, he became a member of Council of ACU (1982-83), Deputy Chairman (1983-84) and Chairman (1984-85). In 1985, Nigeria was given the honour of hosting a very successful Annual International Seminar and Council Meeting of the ACU and Papa had the privilege of serving in the dual role of Chairman, ACU Council and Chairman Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities. His experience in distance education received attention; he was a member of the Commonwealth Expert Group on Distance Education, (1986-87), and Member, Working Group on the Commonwealth Institutional Arrangements for Distance Education Cooperation (1988). Later, at the invitation of the Commonwealth Secretariat he also served as a Member, Expert Advisory Group to the Commission on Commonwealth Studies (1995-98). Papa was also a Consultant on Higher Education to the World Bank (Nov.-Dec. 1988); a Consultant to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) April 1989; Chairman of the Review Committee on the Report of the Federal Government of Nigeria Inter-Ministerial Group on Higher Education Curricula in Nigeria (1986); Chairman, National Committee on Medical Care and Training, Federal Government of Nigeria (1990-1992). Papa was also an Honorary Surgeon to the Nigerian Armed Forces 1967-1968 (Rank: Field Colonel) Honours and Awards He received numerous honours and awards some of which were: • Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Science, FAS (1986); • Trustee, West African College of Surgeons (1986); • Honorary Doctor of Laws, The Queen's University of Belfast (1989); • Symons Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Universities of the Commonwealth (1987); • Distinguished Visitor Award, Carnegie Corporation of New York, New York (1988); • The Adesuyi Prize, by The West African Health Community for Notable Contribution to Health and Health Services in the West African Sub-Region (1993); • Distinguished Honorary Fellow Nigerian Postgraduate Medical College (1999); • Professor Emeritus, University of Lagos (June 2000). On November 13, 2002 Professor Adesola received a Plaque of Honour presented by the Senate of the University of Lagos “ on the occasion of the commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the first meeting of the university Senate and in appreciation of (his) pioneering efforts and valuable contribution to the university”. Papa Adesola's over 50 (listed) publications reflect his wide range of interests as an academic surgeon, research scientist and educationist with some coverage of his administrative experiences; they also provide some insight into his extensive academic and professional expertise, as well as his services - variously as Editor, or on Editorial Boards, and as Reviewer of several journals and publications. His most noted publications include: “Anatomy of Service “ and “A Bridge Endowed”. Papa Adesola was a great orator who delivered some memorable speeches during university convocations and inaugural lectures. He was also known for his sense of humour - he could give some comedians a run for their money. He loved to listen to music especially classical (such as Beethoven, Bach and Mozart) and church hymnals. In 1983, he was installed as Ejio-Onife of Isaga in Abeokuta. Papa was an avid golfer who won a few amateur contests. His relatives and closest friends knew of his passion for golf and, in particular, the fact that Tuesdays were his golf days at the Ikeja Golf Club. He was known by his nephews and nieces as the “backup uncle” because of his insistence on having a backup plan for every activity or event. He enjoyed hosting an annual Christmas family event which was fondly called CNN (i.e. Cousins, Nephews and Nieces). Papa would always be remembered for his humility and gentleness.

Born on November 6, 1927.

Passed away on May 29, 2010.