User:WarriorGbenga/sandbox/Professor Albert Adeoye Ilemobade

Professor Albert Adeoye Ilemobade

Albert Adeoye Ilemobade was one of Nigeria’s leading veterinary parasitologists who had a distinguished career in Nigeria and internationally.

Early Days and Education

Albert was born on 12th April 1936 into the distinguished Nigerian family of Prince David Ilemobade Adenodi, a member of the Leyo ruling house and grandson of Oba Osungbedelola, the 30th Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, and Madam Comfort Bodunwa Ilemobade, of the Jomu lineage in Ondo, Ondo State of Nigeria.

He grew up at Ebute-Irele, a trading post on the waterside of the present Irele Local Government, where his father was a palm-oil, palm kernel and timber merchant. He attended St. Matthew's C.M.S School, Ebute-Irele and later transferred to St. Andrew's Primary School, Idimoge, Ondo where he finished his standard six primary school education. He moved to Imade College, Owo, for his secondary school education, graduating first division at the Cambridge School Certificate Examination in 1960. He worked briefly for Barclays Bank, D.C.O. at Obun Eko, Lagos from where he proceeded to the Federal Emergency Science School (later Federal School of Science) for his GCE 'A' level course which he passed and was admitted to the University of Ibadan and the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He obtained the joint DVM degree from both universities in 1969 and was one of the first of Nigerians to be employed as a lecturer in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He was subsequently awarded a USAID fellowship to pursue programs in the USA, obtaining a Masters degree at the Oklahoma State University and then completing the work for his PhD programme at the [https://twin-cities.umn.edu/ University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St. Paul], a degree that was conferred by the Ahmadu Bello University in 1976.

Career and Scholarship

Albert was employed as a Lecturer in veterinary parasitology in July 1969 at Ahmadu Bello University and then rose through the ranks, becoming a Professor of Parasitology and Entomology at Ahmadu Bello University in October 1980. He is widely published in this area of research. He served in different academic and administrative capacities at the Ahmadu Bello University, including headship of the Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology before his translation in 1983 to the newly established Federal University of Technology, at Akure, first as Head of Department of Animal Production and Health, and subsequently as Dean of the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology. He was to become the first Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University in 1987 and in November 1988, he was appointed Vice-Chancellor, a position he held until January 1996, after serving two terms. He retired from the University in January 2001.

In his academic career, apart from teaching undergraduate students and guiding numerous graduate students, Albert carried out extensive veterinary research which earned him travel grants and fellowships to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland; Animal Parasitology Institute, Beltville, Maryland; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; University of Edinburgh, Scotland; University of Copenhagen, Denmark; and the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands. For his work on blood parasitic diseases of animals he became widely recognized as a leading veterinary scientist both nationally and internationally. He served as an Expert Consultant in blood parasitic diseases of livestock to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and a specialised body of the African Union (AU-IBAR). He was the President of the International Scientific Council of Trypanosomiasis Research and Control. He served as the Chairman of the Programme Against African Tryypnosomiaisis (PAAT),  a consortium of FAO, IAEA, WHO, and AU-IBAR on African sleeping sickness disease in humans and animals and related development, and was a member of the Policy and Mobilization Committee of the Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Campaign (PATTEC) of the African Union.

Impact and Social Influence

In addition to these international responsibilities, Albert was highly influential in Nigerian society. Until his death, Albert was the President and Chief Executive of Upline Resources Foundation, a non-profit, registered NGO based in Akure involved in promoting a healthy society through a number of approaches including education, advocacy of sustainable development, public deliberation as a means of increasing citizens’ participation in democracy and research on education, public policy and environmental issues. Albert served on the Governing Councils of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko; Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti; and the Nigerian Institute of Trypanosomiasis Research, Kaduna. He was a member of the Agricultural Projects Governing Board, Ondo State; Planning and Implementation Committee of Crowther University, Oyo; Adekunle Ajasin Foundation; Wesley University of Science and Technology, Ondo and Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State.

He was also highly involved in other social and religious activities. Albert was a member of the Ondo Development Committee, a premier organization in Ondo Kingdom; and a past President of Imade College Old Students’ Association (IMACOSA). Also was a Christian who loved to study the Bible and be transformed by it. He was pioneer Chairman of the Council of the Chapel of Faith, Federal University of Technology, Akure; Chairman Board of Trustees, Youth For Christ, Nigeria; Grand Patron, Children Evangelism Ministry, Ondo State and a Senior Friend of the Nigerian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (NIFES). He served on the Council of the Chapel of the Annunciation, Archbishop Vining College of Theology for over fifteen years during which time he served variously as Chairman and member of several councils and committees. He was also a member of the Parish Church Council of All Saints’ Church, Ogbonkowo, Ondo (one of the oldest Churches in Nigeria, having been founded in 1902) which in 2003, honored him by the conferment of the title of Balogun.

Awards and Honours

Albert was the recipient of many honours and awards, among them: Justice of the Peace, Fellow of the Salzburg Seminar, Foundation Fellow of the College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria and Meritorious Service Award by the Osemawe in Council. He was also conferred with the Pfizer Animal Health award in recognition of outstanding contributions to the advancement of knowledge in Veterinary Medicine, and the award for the most outstanding service to the community by the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology of the Federal University of Technology, Akure. In 1990, he received Presidential recognition as the best Vice-Chancellor in the management and judicious use of human and financial resources.

Shortly after his death, the Federal University of Technology Akure named its’ library the Albert Ilemobade Library

Family

Albert enjoyed good health and a vibrant family life, being happily married to Christiana Olakitan (nee Akinrodoye), and together, they were blessed with four children: Ms. Ayokanmi Ayuba, Professor Adesola Ilemobade, Mr. Adeseni Ilemobade, Ms. Tolulade Ozigbo; and several grand-children.

Albert Ilemobade was wonderfully warm-hearted and supportive to his extensive family and to his many colleagues within Nigeria and beyond. He provided outstanding leadership in all his activities with a fine mixture of humour, strategic direction and inclusiveness.