Emeritus Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe has been reported dead.
Akinkugbe, who was promoted to a chair of medicine at the University of Ibadan at the age of 35 years was born in Ondo town in Ondo State. His father was a chemist and druggist that was connected to the marble rich clan of Igbeti in Oyo State.
The Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, entered into Government College, Ibadan, where he established himself as an undisputed leader in the science subjects, conceding English and literature to Wole Soyinka and Christopher Kolade.
After a brilliant secondary school career, he took entrance examination and gained admission into the University College Ibadan in 1951, to begin his study of medicine.
After passing his 2nd MB examination in 1955, he was posted to the University of London [the Royal London Hospital] for his clinical studies, wherein in 1958, he obtained his MBBS of London without any skirmishes. After completing a six months internship at the London Hospital, Professor Akinkugbe then embarked on numerous short programs in different institutions, expanding his knowledge and experience, and obtaining a diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the University of Liverpool in 1960.
Being a western region government scholar, Professor Akinkugbe came back to Nigeria in 1961 and took an appointment with Government Specialist Hospital, Adeoyo, Ibadan. But later that year he went back to England to do his DPhil. program in Oxford.
On successful completion, he returned to Nigeria to take up a lectureship at the Department of Medicine University of Ibadan in January 1965.
Thus began Professor Akinkugbe’s brilliant academic career during which he became Professor of Medicine in 1968, Dean Medicine 1970 – 74 and Head of Medicine 1972. Taking special interest in Hypertension and Kidney diseases, he has made tremendous contributions in these areas.
