By Olamide FAKEYE
The University of Ibadan in a resounding tribute to one of Nigeria’s foremost scholars and public intellectuals, on, Tuesday, May 27, 2025, held a landmark ceremony to rename its Postgraduate Administrative Building in honour of Professor Sanya Dojo Onabamiro.
The high-profile event took place at the Postgraduate College of the university and drew distinguished statesmen, academic luminaries, and the family of the late professor in a dignified celebration of legacy, memory, and academic excellence.
Chairing the occasion was Nigeria’s former president, His Excellency Chief Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo GCFR, whose statesmanlike presence elevated the day’s significance.
Also in attendance as Special Guest of Honour and Guest of Honour were former Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun CON, FCA and Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola OFR respectively.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, led the university’s management team, alongside former Vice Chancellors, faculty, and members of the academic community. The Onabamiro family—children, grandchildren, and relatives—were warmly received as co-hosts of the occasion.
Born in Ile-Otena, Idodo Quarter, Ago-Iwoye, Ijebu, Ogun state in 1913, Professor Sanya Dojo Onabamiro was a Nigerian pharmacist, academic, and statesman. He studied at Yaba Higher College and later earned a PhD in pharmacology from the University of London.
He would go on to serve as a lecturer and administrator at the University of Ibadan, significantly shaping its postgraduate structure. Onabamiro also served in the Federal House of Representatives and was Minister of Education during the First Republic.
His work bridged science, public service, and educational leadership, making him a pioneer who helped define Nigeria’s academic and intellectual landscape. He authored several books, including the popular “An Introduction to Tropical Pharmacology,” and remained committed to building indigenous capacity in science and governance.
In his rousing goodwill message, Chief Obasanjo described Professor Onabamiro as “a bridge between colonial scholarship and independent African intellect.” He commended the University of Ibadan for taking a bold step to immortalize a man who not only served Nigeria but also left an indelible academic footprint.
Obasanjo emphasized that in an era where the role of intellectuals in national development is often overlooked, “the honour done today is not merely ceremonial, but a moral reminder that ideas matter, and so do the individuals who birth them.” He concluded by challenging the nation’s institutions to celebrate intellectual heroes while they yet live.
Senator Amosun, speaking with measured grace, recalled his days as a young learner influenced by the educational reforms and intellectual discourse that Onabamiro helped shape. He lauded the University of Ibadan for preserving such a rich academic tradition and encouraged contemporary scholars to draw inspiration from Onabamiro’s pursuit of excellence across disciplines.
He said, “From the floor of the House to the halls of academia, Professor Onabamiro exemplified a life where knowledge met nation-building. This building is more than bricks; it is a statement of values.”
Addressing journalists after the event, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola OFR, paid a heartfelt tribute to the late professor. He remarked: “Prof. Onabamiro’s life was a thesis in dignity, a dissertation in service, and a publication in patriotism.”
Ambassador Isola drew historical parallels between the foundational aspirations of Nigeria’s early intellectuals and the responsibilities of today’s youth. He emphasized the importance of role models in national rebirth, saying, “In honouring Prof. Onabamiro, we are not only preserving memory; we are propagating values—of discipline, integrity, and pan-African responsibility”.
Isola also commended the University of Ibadan leadership under Professor Kayode Adebowale for its commitment to excellence and legacy-building, urging other institutions to emulate this standard.
The ceremony concluded with a plaque unveiling and a guided tour of the newly named building. The symbolic act of affixing Onabamiro’s name to an institution dedicated to postgraduate advancement could not be more fitting for a man whose life’s work expanded the boundaries of knowledge.
As the sun set over Nigeria’s premier university, guests and family members departed with full hearts—grateful that the contributions of Professor Sanya Dojo Onabamiro have not only been remembered but eternalized.
