According to information gleaned on him from the Internet, Professor Titus Olubode Bamkole (to me simply Daddy), was born on June 8,1936. He hails from an illustrious family at Iboro in the Yewa Division of present day Ogun State. He is happily married to Mama Sophie Bamkole with five highly successful adult children.
He was educated at the famous Igbobi College, Lagos, and then proceeded to University College Ibadan (now University of lbadan), Ibadan, 1955-60 earning a First Class Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. He was Visiting Fulbright Senior Scientist and Scholar, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1982-83.
He was employed as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Chemistry, University of lbadan, Ibadan, 1961-63; Postdoctoral Research from 1964-66; Lecturer II, Department of Chemistry; University of lbadan, 1966-1968; Lecturer 1,1968-1971; Senior Lecturer, 1971-1974; Reader in Chemistry, 1974-1977; Professor of Chemistry 1977; Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry, l978-8l.
Daddy had a productive academic career at the University of Ibadan where through seminal publications, grit, perseverance, hard work and determination he became one of the pioneer Nigerian Professors of Chemistry and the first Nigerian Head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Ibadan.
He has been Fellow Chemical Society, London, since 1962; Member. Science Association of Nigeria since 1963; Deputy Editor, Nigerian Journal of Science 1966-72; Member Chemical Society of Nigeria;
His research publications include: Introductory Organic Chemistry, Daystar Press, Ibadan, co-author, 1977; Chemical Industrialisation of Nigeria: Problems, Prospects and Strategies for its True Implementation, University of lbadan Press, 1983; Chemicals and Raw Materials in Nigeria’s Industries (Technical report) co-author, 1981; in addition to over 25 articles in national and international learned journals. In retirement he has published a number of Christian books.
He was Dean of the Faculty of Science, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and ultimately the second Vice-Chancellor of the then Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University) Ago Iwoye.
Professor Titus Olubode and Mrs Sophie Bamkole’s eldest child, Babajide (Jide) Bamkole, and my humble self first met at Edgbaston Birmingham, when we enrolled for our doctoral research at the University of Birmingham, UK during the first week of October 1984 as new research students were mandated to register for a compulsory course in FORTRAN Programming. While Jide was in the Department of Mechanical Engineering I was at the Department of Geological Sciences. We have remained brothers and confidants ever since then. I moved the Vote of Thanks at the wedding of Jide and Bola Bamkole’s in Lagos in July 1993. Their home in Essex, England, is a regular port of call for me any time I am in the UK. Jide came to receive Keyede and myself at Heathrow Airport in September 2010 when she was to start her Advanced Level course at Cambridge Seminars. He equally attended her BSc graduation at the University of Manchester in July 2015.
In the 2015 Vice-Chancellorship contest at the University of Ibadan one of the candidates interested in applying for the impending vacancy approached Daddy to intimate him about his ambition and requested him (Daddy) to write a reference letter in support of his application. Daddy wished him well in his ambition but he declined to write a reference for him because in his words, his son, Idowu Olayinka, was also likely to be interested in applying for the same position. According to the late Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (1937-1998), if you smiled at a mirror, the mirror would smiled back at you. I thank Daddy for having do much implicit confidence in me.
Professor Bamkole received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Ibadan as part of the 70 years of University Education in Nigeria in year 2018. He had earlier received a honorary degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye. As part of his public service he once served on the Board of Directors of Sketch Publishing Company. He is a Past President of the Igbobi College Old Boys’ Association, Ibadan Branch (2015 to 2017). Igbobi College has been aptly described by the Emeritus Professor of History Michael Omolewa as the home of Vice-Chancellors, with former Igbobi students like Horatio Oritsejolomi-Thomas and Ayo Banjo serving as Vice-Chancellors at the University of Ibadan, and J. F. A. Ade-Ajayi and Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe at the University of Lagos. Professor Bamkole has in many ways truly lived to the tenets of his old school: ‘Wherever there’s an Igbobian, there also is a noble Nigerian’.
As Daddy attains the age of 88 years, today, Saturday, 8th of June 2024, we rejoice with him and the Matriarch of the family, Mama Sophie Bamkole, Jide and his siblings and their spouses, and all the grandchildren. We wish you, Sir, many more years ahead in good health, joy and sustained prosperity. E pe fun wa. We love you, Daddy.
Prof. Olayinka is a former Vice Chancellor of University of IbadanÂ
2 Comments
Happy birthday 🎂 Sir.
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