Professor Jimoh Mosobalaje Olaloye Oyawoye was born on 12th August 1927, at Offa to Prince Monmodu Oyawoye Adegboye of Anlelerin Royal Family of Offa and Alhaja Selia Amoke who hailed from both Ila-Orangun and Ikirun royal families. He entered Offa Grammar School (OGS) in 1942 and transferred to Ibadan Grammar School (IGS) in 1947, where he completed his secondary education in 1949 with excellent results in the Cambridge School Certificate exams.

Soon after graduating from secondary school, Professor Oyawoye was employed by the Nigerian Geological Survey Department, Kaduna as a Geological Assistant (Clerk III). He worked in this capacity until he won a government scholarship to study Geology in America.

In 1952, he entered Washington State University, USA to study Geology, graduating with Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Geology in 1955. In 1956 he started a postgraduate programme at the University of Durham in United Kingdom and was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Geology, from Durham, in 1959.

He returned to Nigeria in 1960 and was employed at the University of Ibadan (UI) as a Geology lecturer in the Department of Geography. Within two years he was able to persuade the University to establish a full-fledged Department of Geology, pointing out the emerging Petroleum Industry and the manpower challenges that would sooner than later emerge. He was proved right. His academic career progression was meteoric -- he reached the top within six years, to become the first African Professor of Geology in 1966. Two years later he was appointed Head of Geology Department.

Professor Oyawoye pioneered Precambrian Petrological Research in Nigeria. Most importantly, his work elucidated the space relationship and structural position of Bauchite and other Chanockitic rocks as the core of the older basement complex in Nigeria. His important works were published in international and national scientific journals, and are frequently cited as authority in Petrological work. He also wrote frequently on social issues; these were published in the various Nigerian newspapers and journals, and him frequent acknowledgements.

At UI, he paid much attention to the Petroleum Industry, maintaining very close and cordial relation with the industry. He also paid keen attention to the placement of his students in the Petroleum Industry, seeking and facilitating higher education and employment for them.

Under his leadership, a Petroleum Engineering Diploma course was introduced in UI, as early as 1968 - the first in Africa. He served at both national and international levels: Being well-known internationally, Professor Oyawoye brought Nigeria recognition, respect and admiration through his professional activities. As Chairman of OAU Team of Experts on Inter-African Centre for Earth Sciences, he promoted the awareness among African Countries, of the economic importance of a strong Geological Survey, staffed with indigenous Geologists, particularly in those Mining-dependent Eastern and Southern African Countries. His most important contribution in this regard was the establishment of the Zambian School of Mines in the University of Zambia, which he initiated and pursued personally with the then Zambian President, Kenneth Kaunda. He guided the newly established School of Mines to reality in 1976. As a mark of honor and appreciation, he was appointed Roving Visiting Professor at the University of Zambia, with freedom to go and come as he pleased, for 3 years.

Professor Oyawoye initiated, organized and established the Geological Society of Africa (GSA). In recognition and honor, he was elected the founding President and the first Fellow of the Society. He was the first African Member of the Board of International Geological Correlation Programme, and was elected Vice-President of this prestigious body. He was a positive inspiration, serving as External Examiner in Geology at several Universities including University of Ghana, University of Kenya and University of Sudan.

At home he served Nigeria with dedication – his service in the University was exceptional. A reference to the University of Ibadan annual calendars between 1968 and 1975 will show him as one of the most active members of the University. He served on several Committees of the University Senate and Council; many of them as Chairman:

• He was Congregation Representative in Senate 1964 – 1966
• Permanent Member of Senate 1966 – 1977
• Elected Member of Ibadan University Council 1969 – 1975
• As Hall Master of Sultan Bello Hall he was very popular and highly respected by students.

Professor Mosobalaje Oyawoye resigned his appointment at the University of Ibadan suddenly in 1977, protesting the Military Government encroachment on university autonomy, and the authority of Senate, which he believed in.

In spite of his short career at UI, Professor Oyawoye left behind three major achievements which stand out as monuments to his leadership, initiative and dedication. Foremost is the Department of Geology, University of Ibadan -- Geology Department was transformed within a few years, from being the smallest in the Faculty of Science, to one of the most important departments at the University. The magnificent Geology Department building at Ibadan, financed from grants raised from the Petroleum Industry by Professor Oyawoye is a tribute to him. His generations of students have over the many years, dominated executive positions in the Mining and Petroleum Industries. Among them, Federal Ministers and Advisers to Presidents; several succeeding Group Managing Directors and Executives of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); several present and previous Managing Directors and Executives of NNPC subsidiary companies; Vice-Chancellors and several of the Professors of Geology in Nigerian Universities till today. It is therefore not surprising that he is often fondly referred to by his students as the “Father of Geology” in Nigeria.

The second monument left by Professor Oyawoye was the University of Ibadan Institute of Applied Science and Technology, which he initiated. Professor Oyawoye was solely responsible for the preparation of the project document submitted to the Canadian Government International Aid Agency; and for all follow-up activities leading to the establishment of the Institute. He naturally became its first Nigerian Co-Director.

Another major achievement of Professor Oyawoye at the Ibadan university, was University College, Jos, which later became University of Jos. The Project, which was his brainchild, was brought to the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adeoye Lambo, as a major initiative which the University should take, and which could provide unique research and teaching opportunities in Geology and Agriculture; in view of the unique petrological setting of mineral-rich younger Granite, and the cool climate of the Plateau. He later assisted Professor Lambo to pilot the project successfully through a suspicious UI Senate and hesitant Council of the university.

The establishment of Kwara State College of Technology deserves special mentioning as a great achievement. He became its founding Chairman and in that capacity, he worked vigorously to bring the College of Technology to maturity within 3 years, gaining for it national and international recognition.

At his home town of Offa, Kwara State, he devoted a great deal of his time to community self help projects and youth counseling. His contributions to Offa Town are many. To mention a few, Olalomi Comprehensive School, which later became the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, was planned and guided from inception by him. He is the only person who had served both as General-Secretary as well as President of the Offa Descendants’ Union since it was founded. He established through his foundation, Monmodu-Jamiu Oyawoye Foundation Gte/Ltd, Offa City Transport Venture - a poverty alleviation program by which beneficiaries operate and pay-to-own tricycles. Likewise, in 2012, Maryam Olabisi Oyawoye Children’s Home was established to care for children whose mothers died while giving birth. Prof Oyawoye championed the establishment in Offa, of Summit University owned by Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria -- In late 2006, he established an action committee, and actively sought donors within Offa Community, and went to work getting the university built and ready for approval by National University Commission (NUC). The license to operate Summit University was finally granted in late 2015. He also established Queen Jolade Preparatory School in 2015 to provide a happy, safe and supportive learning environment in which everyone is equal and all achievements are celebrated.

He is a devout nationally respected Muslim leader in Kwara State, where he has served as State Chairman of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI). Also, recent renovation of the magnificent Grand Central Mosque Offa, initiated and guided by him, is one of his major achievements. A believer in the potential of youths, he devotes a lot of time to advising them and giving career guidance and employment assistance.

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE:

• Chairman, OAU Team of Inter-African Centre for Earth Sciences.
• Member, Board of International Geological Correlation Programme (UNESCO)
• Vice-President, Board of International Geological Correlation Programme
• Founding Professor, Geological Society of Africa (GSA)
• Visiting Professor, Zambia School of Mines

NATIONAL SERVICE:

• Member, Nigerian Council for Science and Technology 1970 – 1974
• Member, Ibadan University Council 1970 – 1976
• Member, the First Board of Federal Capital Development Authority 1976 -1980.
• Member, Board of the Institute of International Affairs 1983 – 1985
• Chairman, West African Examination Council (WAEC) 1985 – 1988
• Chairman, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (NNPC) 1989 – 1993.
• Chairman, Federal College of Education, Yola 1989 – 1993
• Chairman, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc 1995 – 2005

KWARA STATE SERVICE:

•Member, Kwara State Advisory Committee - Science & Technology 1970 – 1975
• Member, Board of Kwara State Printing and Publishing Corporation 1971 – 1975
• Chairman, Board of Kwara State Agriculture Development Corporation
• Founding Chairman, Kwara State College of Technology 1968 – 1975
• Chairman, Kwara State Transition Committee (1992)

HONORS AND DISTINCTIONS:

•He was distinguished by being the first African doctorate degree holder in Geology
•The first African professor of Geology
•The first and founding Fellow of the Geological Society of Africa.

Distinguished organizations and Institutions have variously honored him at International, national and local levels:

•Foundation Fellow of Nigerian Academy of Science (FNAS)
•Fellow of Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (FNMGS)
•Honorary Fellow of Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (FNAPE)
•Rt. Honorable Nnamdi Azikiwe Award of NMGS
•Mobil/NMGS Distinguished 2004 Lecturer
•Honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc) University of Ibadan
•Honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc) Durham University (UK)
•Fellow of Geological Society of Africa (FGSA)
•Alumni Achievement Award of Washington State University, Pullman, WA, U.S.A
•Honorary Citizen of Lubbock, Texas, USA
•National Honors: Officer of the Order of Niger (OON)
•National Honors: Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON)
•Princely Title of Aremo (Crown Prince) of Offa
•Installed as Balogun Imale (Leader of Muslims) of Offa
•Installed as Baba Adini of Kwara State