Professor O.O. Oyesiku: An administrator of repute

The height that great men reach and kept is not by sudden flight is what an old axiom says. For Professor Olukayode Oyekanmi Oyesiku, it has been a fulfilling journey of three scores in the land of the living with greater accomplishments that remain unparalleled by his peers. He is an erudite scholar, astute university administrator, orator who equally doubles as a prolific writer, versatile academic and outstanding university teacher of many years standing.

Professor Oyesiku, who was born on 31st of May, 1957 hails from Oba in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. He is a son of two royal families both from his father and mother sides. He took after his father who was highly educated and tremendously successful. Little wonder, he is the only child in the entire family that shares the same middle name ‘Oyekanmi’ with his father.

Versatile Olukayode has intimidating educational accomplishments with his pursuits taking him beyond the shores of Nigeria.

Professor Oyesiku, an academic egg head has to his credit over 280 academic publications, including:   textbooks (15); local and international journal articles (78); chapters in university audience books (58); and peer reviewed and refereed learned conferences papers, local and international (109). Through his intellectual fecundity, he has produced a number of academics which include twelve (12) PhD graduates in Transport & Logistics Management and several more on the line.

Professor Oyesiku has also attended over 133 local and international learned conferences. He has also presented over 45 Public Distinguished Guest Personality papers. A winner of many scholarships, foreign fellowships and awards including the prestigious Senior Fulbright Research Scholar of the United States of America in 1996, Fulbright Alumni Initiative Award grant fellow also of the United States of American government in 2002, Netherlands Government Fellowship Program in 1990 and Postgraduate Scholarship award of the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1982. His research activities have taken him to over 87 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia and North America, South America and over 300 major cities in the world with none sponsored by public agency or government.

Professor Oyesiku belongs to several professional and academic bodies including: the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, (MNITP); Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria, (RTP); World Conference of Transport Research (MWCTRS); Nigerian Geographical Association (NGA) and American Studies Association of Nigeria (MASAN). Prof. Kayode Oyesiku is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT) and Fellow the Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (FITAN).

Taking a periscope into the avalanche of achievements of Prof. Olukayode Oyesiku as the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State, it could be deduced that this erudite Professor of Urban and Regional Planning is indeed a master planner and strategist of undisputable feat. He did not only build that citadel of learning from the wellspring but also transformed it and left a legacy by turning Nigeria’s premier and preferred  University of Education into an architectural masterpiece upon which the subsequent Vice Chancellors built on , including the incumbent.

Some of the physical structures that sprang up during Prof. Oyesiku’s tenure includes the Old Vice Chancellor’s Office building; the Administrative building (Establishments Office); College of Social and Management Sciences building;  College of Applied Education and Vocational Technology (now College of Vocational and Technology Education); the University Library;  University ICT Centre; the University Block (E-Learning Centre); Otunba Alex O’ Petroleum and Petro Chemical Science Complex; 2 Blocks of 4 classes ETF Project 2006 completed in 2009; Ultra-Modern Kessingnton Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation (KAAF), Vocational Laboratories built by Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation and donated to the University by the Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu, OON, CON;  Ultra-Modern University Auditorium;  the Skye Bank Business Village (a product of the private-public partnership); 1,000-seater capacity hall at the College of Science and Information Technology.

His tenure as the Vice Chancellor, also witnessed the official hand over of what is today known as the Ososa campus of the University by one of the admirers of the Institution, in person of Alhaji (Dr.) Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, OFR.  Ososa campus, formerly Sulaiman College of Education is about 15 hectares of land magnanimously donated through the philanthropic gesture of the former owner. It’s a fully-developed capacity property meant for the advancement of knowledge.

As a great sports enthusiast, Prof. Oyesiku constructed and donated an Olympic standard Tennis Court to the University as a parting gift to TASUED sporting staff and students which was commissioned in March 2010, having been the Captain of Gateway Tennis Club for several years. Suffice to say, within his 5-year tenure as the Vice Chancellor (2005-2010), he left a total of 19 major physical development projects through private-public partnership.

• Bakenne is the head, Public Relations and Information Office, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State