Earlier today, the management issued a statement mourning the loss of a prominent figure in the management of Obafemi Awolowo University. The institution is enveloped in deep sorrow as the management formally announced the passing of its Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Professor Siyan Oyeweso, a distinguished scholar, administrator, and one of Nigeria’s most celebrated historians.
In a release made on Tuesday, 2nd December, by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, it was stated that this is a very painful event that has cast a heavy pall over the University community, leaving staff, students, alumni, and friends of the institution heartbroken. By expressing his grief, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, spoke with great emotion about the monumental loss, describing the late Pro-Chancellor as ‘a towering intellectual, a rare patriot, and a man whose presence brought wisdom, depth, and stability to every table he sat at.’
According to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Siyan Oyeweso was not only a scholar of continental reputation; he was a gentleman of uncommon grace, humility, and dignity. His dedication to Obafemi Awolowo University was total. He carried OAU in his heart, and he served with a passion that inspired all who worked with him. His passing is a colossal loss—one that will echo through our Senate chambers, our classrooms, our governing processes, and the collective soul of our University.’
Who the Pro-Chancellor was
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Professor Siyan Oyeweso, was born on 1 February 1961 in Ibadan, Oyo State, and hails from Ede in Osun State. He is an alumnus of the then University of Ife (now OAU), where he obtained his B.A. (Hons) in History, M.A. in History, and a PhD in Intellectual History. He began his academic career in 1985 as an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of History at Lagos State University, rising through the ranks to become a Professor of History in the early 2000s.
The Management of Obafemi Awolowo University recalls with pride his invaluable contributions to national scholarship, his groundbreaking historical writings, and his lifelong devotion to advancing knowledge and developing future leaders. His intellectual footprints will remain indelible in Nigerian academia, while his administrative legacy at OAU will continue to shape the institution for years to come. His leadership style was calm, inclusive, principled, and richly humane. He brought a new sense of stability and purpose to the Governing Council. He was also a bridge-builder, a mentor to the young, a compass for his colleagues, and a steadying influence during challenging moments.
The University extends its deepest condolences to his family, particularly his wife and children, as well as his colleagues, associates, and the broader academic community who respected and adored him. May they find strength and consolation in the knowledge that his life touched countless others and that his legacy is eternally secure. This illustrious statesman of scholarships would be buried today according to Islamic rite.