Hezekiah Adedunmola Oluwasanmi (12 November 1919 – 15 August 1983) was a Nigerian academic and professor who served as the

vice chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor is ...

of Obafemi Awolowo University from 1966 to 1975. He was instrumental in founding the university. He was a

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...

agricultural economics Agricultural economics is an applied field of economics concerned with the application of economic theory in optimizing the production and distribution of food and fiber products. Agricultural economics began as a branch of economics that specif ...

at the

University of Ibadan The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 196 ...

prior to his appointment at Obafemi Awolowo University as

Early life and education

Hezekiah Oluwasanmi was born on 12 November 1919, to Christian parents in Ipetu Ijesa, then Southern Region,

British Nigeria Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to British subjects in 1807. Britain a ...

. He attended a local Anglican primary school in Ipetu Ijesa and then completed his secondary education at Abeokuta Grammar School. He then traveled abroad for collegiate education, he studied at

Morehouse College , mottoeng = And there was light (literal translation of Latin itself translated from Hebrew: "And light was made") , type = Private historically black men's liberal arts college , academic_affiliations ...

and earned a doctorate degree from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

Career

Upon his return to Nigeria, Oluwasanmi became a staff of the only college in the country,

University College, Ibadan The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 1962 ...

. He rose through the academic ranks to become a professor of agricultural economics in 1958. While at Ibadan, Oluwasanmi was a dormitory administrator, he was master of Sultan Bello Hall and later a warden of Mellanby Hall. Between 1963 and 1966, he was dean of the Faculty of Agriculture. In 1960, Oluwasanmi and some of his academic colleagues at Ibadan, wrote an advisory letter to the regional premier about the framework of siting a new university within the Western region. He was then chosen to work with the government in the planning and development of the new university to be sited in Ile-Ife. However, during the planning and commencement of academic activities, the new university was caught up in a political crisis within the region. This led to the departures of some notable professors such as

Sam Aluko Samuel Aluko (August 18, 1929 – February 7, 2012) was a Nigerian public economist and scholar who wrote articles and papers that analyzed government's social and economic policies. Aluko also played advisory role to some political leaders such a ...

and

Wole Soyinka Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (Yoruba: ''Akínwándé Olúwọlé Babátúndé Ṣóyíinká''; born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka (), is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded t ...

. In 1966, after a military coup led to a change in government, Adekunle Fajuyi, the new military governor appointed Oluwasanmi to replace

Oladele Ajose Oladele Adebayo Ajose (1907–1978) was a Lagos prince who was the Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University. He was an early advocate of primary health care in Nigeria and the first tenured African professor at the University of Ibadan ...

. Oluwasanmi's administration brought back the master plan of the university which had been set aside by the previous administration and completed many building projects. During his tenure, the university moved from its temporary site at Ibadan to the new permanent site at Ile-Ife Thirty five years after his demise, a group a close friends and family set up H.A. Oluwasanmi Foundation as legacy project with the aim of keeping his memory alive and to promote his ″optimum″ vision of impacting generations yet unborn by improving rural farming communities quality of life through a combination of Wage progress; Income Parity; improved basic public services and: community environmental control.

Death

He died on 15 August 1983 at the age of 63.

References

1919 births Morehouse College alumni Harvard University alumni Academic staff of the University of Ibadan Academic staff of Obafemi Awolowo University Nigerian agriculturalists 1983 deaths 20th-century Nigerian economists Vice-Chancellors of Obafemi Awolowo University Nigerian expatriates in the United States {{Nigeria-economist-stub

Early life and education

Career

Death

See also

References