Emiola Oluwabunmi OLAPADE-OLAOPA

 Short Citation of Professor Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa – Applicant for the Position of Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan 2020-2025

Professor Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa is a 1986 graduate of the University of Ibadan whose career spans surgery, urology, molecular biology, medical education, and health systems research and development. He was appointed as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery, the University of Ibadan in 2001, and was elevated to the rank of full Professor in 2007. He has participated actively at all levels of academic and administrative governance having served on numerous Departmental, Faculty, College of Medicine, and University committees. Prominent amongst these are: Sub-Dean (Post-graduate) of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences 2004-2006); and Congregational Member of Senate of the Academic Board of the College of Medicine and the Senate at various times; and Member, University of Ibadan, Strategic Planning Committee (2006-2010).

A thoroughbred scholar, Professor Olapade-Olaopa’s contributions in his professional and academic fields have resulted in over 110 publications as books, book chapters, and peer-reviewed scientific papers, over 100 research presentations at scientific fora, and over 80 national and international guest lectureships. Amongst his many major scholarly works is the 2010 University of Ibadan MBBS curriculum which the first homegrown undergraduate competency-based medical/dental education curriculum in Sub-Saharan Africa. This document of instruction has been adopted as the template for medical and dental curricula in Nigeria and other African and Asian countries. His Google Scholar citation index is 1616, and his h-index is 19 (accessed September 8, 2020).

Professor Olapade-Olaopa is a member of several national and international Expert Committees/Panels on tertiary education, health systems and health policy. He is currently the Chairman of the Association of Medical Schools in Africa, and a member of the Councils of the National Open University of Nigeria, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, and the West African College of Surgeons. He has also been an Adviser on health-professionals training to several African countries, the World Health Organisation, and to the United States and Norwegian Governments.  He is the only two-term President of the Pan African-Urological Surgeons Association, and is currently the Chair, Membership and International Relations Africa and Middle-East Section of the Societe International d’Urologie.

Professor Olapade-Olaopa’s academic and professional achievements have been well-recognised by his peers. He is the recipient of numerous prizes, awards, distinctions and honours such as the elite Fellowship of the Nigerian Academy of Sciences and the newly-created Nigerian Academy of Medicine (making him the only Surgeon to be elected to both Academies). 

Professor Olapade-Olaopa is the 11^th Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, and served from September 2016 until July 2020. Whilst in this position he attracted nearly Two Billion Naira ($5million) for development projects in the College and main University from Alumni, individual and corporate donors.  The impact of these project are perhaps best measured by the Ibadan Medical School attaining the No 1 position in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa) in the 2020 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and retaining this position in the recently announced 2021 rankings.