ODUNAYO CLEMENT ADEBOOYE Vice-Chancellor, Osun State University (UNIOSUN)

BLESSING AKOROWOSI

The expectation of every society is that its learned persons with international recognition would in turn positively impact others, especially the younger ones as a way of giving back and ensuring its development.

Knowledge, as a treasured ingredient in the development of any society can be largely dug by in-depth research and analysis for the right application.

A committed Don with intense passion for economic development in a society is hard to come by in the troop of self-centered, immoral individuals floating around.

At the grasp of one, applause and encouragement should be accorded as the intellectually-demeaning society craves for such individuals as Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye.

Professor Adebooye is an outstanding agriculturist and award-winning researcher with international relevance in academics. He is currently the Vice Chancellor of Osun State University, Nigeria.

As a renowned researcher in Plant Physiology and Food Chemistry, his research has provided significant insights into the utilization and physiology of the Nigerian Snake Tomato, food value and nutraceutical studies of indigenous vegetables of southwest Nigeria, protein science of indigenous vegetables and socio-economic studies of awareness creation on indigenous vegetables value chain.

In Osun, Adebooye was a member of the team that designed the O-Meals operational strategies for the State Government in 2012. He coordinated the training of the pioneer 3,200 food vendors employed by the State to serve the O-Meals programme. He also led the Osun State Cocoyam Rebirth Programme and trained 1,600 farmers for the State of Osun in 2014.

The distinguished agriculturist integrated the 2016-2018 batch of 10,000 youths of the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O-YES) programme into his project on the vegetable value chain. He supported them with free seeds and irrigation facilities. Many of them are now successful vegetable producers which brings him much joy.

As a result-driven Nigerian, he was also a member of the team that designed the Federal Government of Nigeria Technology Development Policy in 2013.

Prof Adebooye did not slack in mentoring young colleagues. He secured the German Government AGNES grant for 11 Nigerian lecturers between 2015 and 2020 and supervised their postdoc projects.

His international connection has greatly benefited the Osun State University. Through his grants, between 2011 and 2017, he fully funded 10 UNIOSUN lecturers to Universities in Canada for three months of training each. He also provided total funding for 13 Nigeria lecturers to attend academic conferences in Rwanda, Benin, Canada, Ethiopia, Kenya and USA between 2010 and 2020. In 2021, he fully sponsored 23 UNIOSUN lecturers to attend the German Government DAAD Alumni Event. In Nov 2021, he sponsored 251 scholars (with 63 academics from UNIOSUN) to attend the German Government’s Humboldt International Conference.

He has published four edited books and over 119 research articles in high impact scientific journals. His research publications have made significant impacts on global science, and they have contributed to international development and are currently in use as global reference materials. His Research Gate score is 24.94, and the total article download is over 20,000, total Google Scholar citation is 1330, Google h-index is 20, and i10-index is 30.

Professor Clement Adebooye, a 2009 Professor of Plant Physiology/Food Chemistry was born into the family of Mr David Alao Adebooye of Alagbede Family, Akiriboto-Oke, Ayedaade Local Government, Gbongan and Princess Gladys Nihinlola Adebooye of Adagba Royal Family, Ile-Ife.

He attended St. David’s Anglican Primary School, Akiriboto-Gbongan, from 1972-1978. He had his secondary education at the Gbongan Community High School, Ife Road, Gbongan between 1979 and1984.

He was admitted to the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1985 and earned B. Agric (Upper Second Class Honours Division) Plant Science in 1990. He served in the NYSC programme in 1990/91 in the old Kano State. Immediately after the National Service in 1991, he enrolled for and earned MSc (Agronomy) from the University of Ibadan in 1992 with a 72% average.

His professional background indicates that he worked briefly as a Class Teacher at Ikorodu High School, Ikorodu-Lagos (1992-1993) and Lecturer II at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu (1993-1995). He returned to the Obafẹmi Awolowo University as a Graduate Assistant in February 1995. He registered for PhD (Horticulture/Plant Physiology) at the University of Ibadan and earned a PhD degree in 2001. He also holds a Certificate in Tissue Culture from United Nations University (2000), and Certificate in Cytogenetics from IITA, Ibadan (2001) and another Certificate in Food Science from Central Food Technological Research Institute Mysore, India (2006). He is a holder of a Certificate in Communication (2013) from the Government of Canada’s IDRC and a Certificate in the German Language (2006) from Goethe Institute, Bonn, Germany. He rose to the rank of Assistant Lecturer in 1996, Lecturer II in 1998, Lecturer I in 2001, Senior Lecturer in 2003, Associate Professor (Reader) in 2006 and Full Professor in 2009. Prof Adebooye transferred his services from Obafemi Awolowo University to Osun State University, Osogbo in January 2010. After spending ten full years working at Osun State University, he was re-appointed as a Professor (without re-assessment) by the Obafemi Awolowo University, where he resumed in April 2019.

Prof. Adebooye served meritoriously in University Governing Council and as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Research, Innovation and Partnership) of Osun State University, Osogbo. He also served as Provost/Dean (2015-2016), Director of Research and Linkages (2010-2013), Director of Quality Assurance (2015), Coordinator for Postgraduate and Undergraduate academic programmes (2007-2009) and Head of Department (2010-2011). He also served as Secretary, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU-OAU) in 2001-2004. He has served in about 35 statutory committees of Council and Senate within the University system in his academic career.

The Don has also served meritoriously in several international organisations. He was appointed by the German Government’s Humboldt Foundation as the Ambassador Scientist in Nigeria, a position in which he held from 2014-2020. He was appointed as the first Nigerian to serve as Secretary-General and member of the Governing Board of the African-German Network of Excellence in Science (AGNES) (2016-2021). He was also appointed as the Regional Project Coordinator for the Government of Canada IDRC vegetable projects in West Africa (2011-2020), a position in which he demonstrated exceptional leadership and accountability.

He successfully coordinated the United Nations University (2000-2005). He was Visiting Professor at the Germany Research Center, Jülich, Germany (2021); University of Manitoba, Canada (2016-2021); the University of Bonn, Germany (various times 2006-2018); University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany (2011) and Cape Breton University, Sydney, Canada (2014). He was a United Nations Senior Research Fellow at CFTRI, Mysore, India (2005-2006).

In 2009, Prof Adebooye emerged as the first Nigerian to win the prestigious Humboldt Alumni Award of the German Government’s Humboldt Foundation, with a cash award of US$30,000. He also won the best presentation award at the under-utilized plants’ conference in Karachi, Pakistan, in 2001 with a cash award of US$1,000. Again, he won the best presentation award at the Food Quality conference at Central Food Technological Research Institute, India, in 2006 with a cash award of US$1,250.

At the national level, he received Award of Excellence (2019) by the College of Agriculture, Ejigbo Campus; Award of Excellence and Service (2019) by the Nigerian Society of Engineers(COREN); Award of Excellence(2017) by the Law Students Association(National Open University, Nigeria); Award of Service and Excellence (2016) by the Olufi of Gbongan; Award of Service (2012) by the Osun State Students Association, Ejigbo Campus; Excellence Award (2003) by Osun State Government for his role in Economic Summit; Fellow of the Order of sustainable Education (2015) by the family of Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Man of the Year Award for Southwest Nigeria (2014) by the Southwest Radio and TV Association (Excellence Media) for his work on the indigenous vegetables of Nigeria.

Having undergone several international training in University governance, the outstanding professor has provided professional services to the United Nations and governments in Nigeria, Canada and Germany. He was a member of the German Government team that developed the policy on Africa Development (2018-2019).

He holds the distinguished fellowship of international organisations such as: Fellow, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation; Fellow, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD); Fellow, United Nations University (UNU) and Fellow, Obafemi Awolowo Order of Sustainable Education.

Despite his numerous commitments, his allegiance to grassroot development remains unwavering. Prof Adebooye is the Chairman of Logistics Committee of Akiriboto-Oke Progressive Element; Chairman of Board of Governors, Gbongan High School, Ife Road, Gbongan; Chairman, Gbonganland Education Committee; President of the 1984 Old Student Association of Gbongan Community High School; and member of Men’s Christian Fellowship, All Souls’ Chapel, OAU, Ile-Ife.

Indeed, the exceptional Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University is a notable Nigerian with a sense of responsibility for the development of the nation. He is a believer in Almighty God; a democrat; a family and community man; a critical thinker and a philosopher. He detests corruption and sharp practices; hates oppression and suppression in whatever form.