Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) is a federal government-owned university that is located in the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1961 and classes commenced in October 1962 as the "University of Ife" by the regional government of Western Nigeria, which was led by Samuel Ladoke Akintola. It was renamed "Obafemi Awolowo University" on 12 May 1987 in honour of Obafemi Awolowo (1909–1987), the first premier of the Western Region of Nigeria, whose idea the university was.
Moremi Ajasoro was a legendary Yoruba queen and folk heroine in the Yorubaland region of present-day southwestern Nigeria who is fabled to have assisted in the liberation of the Yoruba kingdom of Ife from the neighbouring Ugbo Kingdom.
Chief Ògúnwán̄dé "Wán̄dé" Abím̄bọ́lá is a Nigerian academician, a professor of Yoruba language and literature, and a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ife. He has also served as the Majority Leader of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Chief Abimbola was installed as Àwísẹ Awo Àgbàyé in 1981 by the Ooni of Ife on the recommendation of a conclave of Babalawos of Yorubaland.
The Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) organizes university-level sports events in Nigeria. It hosts an interuniversity sports competition called the University Games. The first NUGA games were held at the University of Ibadan in 1966. 36 Nigerian universities are members.
Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade, or Sijuade, was the fiftieth traditional ruler or Ooni of Ife from 1980 to his death in 2015, taking the regnal name Olubuse II. Ife is a traditional Yoruba state based in the town of Ife in Osun State, Nigeria. He was crowned on 6 December 1980 in a ceremony attended by the Emir of Kano, Oba of Benin, Amayanabo of Opobo and Olu of Warri, as well as by representatives of the Queen of England.
Hezekiah Adedunmola Oluwasanmi (1919–1983) was the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University from 1966 to 1975.
Born on 12 November 1919, educated at Morehouse and Harvard, Oluwasanmi was Professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Ibadan prior to his appointment at Obafemi Awolowo University as the Great Ife. He died on 15 August 1983.
Nahzeem Olufemi Mimiko born on 1 May 1960 is a Nigerian educational administrator and former vice chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, a state-owned university named after the former governor of Ondo State, Nigeria. The university was ranked the best state university by the United States Transparency International Standard (USTIS) in April 2014. Mimiko is the only vice chancellor delegate at the National Conference in Nigeria held in 2014 under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. Mimiko assumed office in January 2010 and was preceded by Philip Olayede Abiodun. In 2016, he had a stint as African and African-American Studies Associate, at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Idowu Bamitale "Tale" Omole is a Nigerian professor of international relations, educational administrator, and former Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun State, Nigeria.
Chief Peter Fatomilola is a Nigerian dramatist, film actor, poet and prolific playwright.
Kola Oyewo is a Nigerian veteran actor, dramatist, and scholar.
Anthony Elujoba is a Nigerian professor of Pharmacognosis, fondly referred to as the "village chemist" because of his involvement in research into medicinal plants. He is the erstwhile vice chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.
Cyprian O. Onyeji is a Nigerian academic. He is professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and was the vice chancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu (2010–2015)
Thomas Adesanya Ige Grillo, was a son of J. Aina Osaoba and V. Adenike Omolara (Serrano) Grill. He was the First professor of Anatomy in Nigeria.
Olusola Amusan is a Nigerian social entrepreneur, speaker and youth advocate. He was the leader, Philanthropies and Corporate Social Responsibility at Microsoft Nigeria. He was the 2017-2018 curator for the Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum in Lagos. He is known for his work as an Artificial Intelligence Evangelist.
Eyitope Ogungbenro Ogunbodede is a professor of Dentistry and the 11th substantial Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He is also the founder of Dema Foundation Dental Museum, the first dental museum in Africa commissioned in 2015 which contains relics of modern Nigerian dental history.
Adesegun Fatusi is a Nigerian professor of community medicine and public health. He was the former provost of the College of Health Sciences at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State and the current Vice chancellor of University of Medical Sciences, Ondo.
Florence Seriki MFR was the founder and CEO of Omatek Ventures Plc., the first Nigerian ICT company in Africa to assemble and manufacture computers and computer parts like computer cases, speakers, keyboards, mouse.
Lateefah Durosinmi is a Nigerian chemist and academic. She is a senior lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ilé-Ifẹ̀, Nigeria.
Simeon Bamire is a Nigerian academic and agricultural economics professor. He is the 12th substantive vice-chancellor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. He served as the deputy vice chancellor academic.
Karl Olutokun Toriola is a Nigerian business leader. He is the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria.
