Prof Oladapo Ashiru (President, Academy of Medicine Specialties in Nigeria):
Oratory on Professor Adesola Ogunniyi
Professor Adesola Ogunniyi, FAS, FAMedS, a distinguished scholar and clinician, recently retired as a Professor of Medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (COMUI) and Consultant Neurologist at the University College Hospital, Ibadan (UCH). With numerous prestigious fellowships and awards to his name, including the Doctor of Medicine degree, Dr. Ogunniyi is renowned for his research on degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Neurology is vital for diagnosing, treating, and researching disorders of the nervous system such as stroke, Alzheimer, and improving patient outcomes, quality of life, and public health. He has been recognized for his contributions to neuroscience through awards such as the Bruce S. Schoenberg Award and the Mellon Award for mentoring postgraduate students. Throughout his career, Dr. Ogunniyi has trained and mentored numerous neurologists and researchers, both in Nigeria and internationally.
His international appointments included being a member of the Lancet Commission on Dementia (2018), Regional Adviser (West Africa) to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (since 2005, and currently Emeritus Regional Adviser January 2023); Global Council on Brain Health, and the World Dementia Council. At various times, he served as temporary adviser to the World Health Organization during the preparatory phase of global dementia research initiatives. He was appointed to the WHO Working Group on Neurocognitive.
In addition to his academic achievements, Dr. Ogunniyi has led various initiatives focused on dementia, medical education, and capacity building in Neurology. His dedication to academia and research has been further acknowledged through awards such as the ICOBA MERIT AWARD for Academic Excellence and his recognition as an AgeCap Fellow at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Dr. Ogunniyi’s contributions have left a lasting impact on the field of neurology and have inspired many in the academic and research community.
He is married to Dr. Jaiyeola Thomas, a Professor of Anatomic Pathology, and the marriage is blessed with 2 children: Adedamola, an Emergency Medicine Physician and Adebola who holds a doctorate in Chemical Engineering.