Theophilus Ogunlesi: Passing of a medical pioneer, icon of scholarship

Adebayo Obajemu

The University of Ibadan is a great institution with a very rich pedigree of intellectuals with global appeal.

The Faculty of medicine of the institution had placed Ibadan on the world map on account of remarkable advances and contributions to medical research, discovery and scholarship of some leading professors of the institution since its founding in 1948.

Among the big names in the Faculty of medicine in the last 70 years of the University is professor Theophilus Ogunlesi, who died last week at the age of 99. Many Nigerians have paid tribute to the outstanding scholar.

Among them is President Muhammadu Buhari,  who  said he shares in the pain of loss with Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), family members and friends of Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Theophilus Oladipo Ogunlesi, who made history in 1965 as Nigeria’s first Professor of Medicine.

According to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari condole the academia, and professional colleagues of the medical doctor and scholar, who started on the path of a medical doctor at Yaba College of Medicine in 1947, and advanced his career at the University of London, 1953, where he qualified as a registered Medical Officer in England.

The President affirmed that Ogunlesi brought pride and honour to Nigeria in scholarship and practice, training many students that have become Ministers of Health, Vice Chancellors of universities, and medical practitioners in different specializations, serving in various parts of the world.

He urged approximation of the legacies of the medical doctor, who scored many firsts, including Nigeria’s first Head of Department of Medicine University College Hospital, Ibadan, inaugural Director of the Ibarapa Community Health Programme, and first President of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.

He along other leading lights in medicine, such as O.O Akinkugbe,  Anezie Okoro, T. Bamgbose, V.A Oyenuga, Babajide  Olukoya  Desalu among others brought honour to University of Ibadan.

Many patriarchs of medical studies were located at the University of Ibadan.

The great institution  was established in 1948 and continues to be Nigeria’s flagship institution of higher learning. Medical graduates of the university have demonstrated character and academic excellence.

By all measures, UI’s faculty of medicine ranks among the world’s Ivy League medical schools in the 60s, 70s and 80s. If you did not attend the University of Ibadan, you must have been taught or supervised by someone who was trained or supervised by someone from the first and best university as medical doctor.

Ogunlesi  was  one of the people, who have made a substantial contribution to putting UI on the global medical educational map and making the UI College of Medicine the number one medical school in sub-Saharan Africa.

He was born July 12, 1923 in Sagamu, Remo,  Ogun State.

He attended St. Paul’s Primary School, Sagamu, 1931-35; CMS Grammar School, Lagos, 1936-40; Higher College, Yaba, 1941-42; Yaba Medical School, 1942-47; University of London, Post-graduate Medical School, 1953, 1957-58; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, 1967-68.

He started out as Asst. Medical Officer, Nigeria Medical Department 1947-48; Medical Officer, Western Nigeria Civil Service, 1950-56; House Physician, Hammersmith Hospital, Ducane Road, London, 1957; Registrar, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, University College Hospital, London, 1956; Specialist Physician, Western Nigeria Civil Service, Ibadan, 1958-61; Snr. Lecturer/Associate Professor Department of Medicine, University of lbadan, 1961-65; 1965-84.

He was first Nigerian Head, Department of Medicine, University College Hospital/University of lbadan, 1969-72; retired from the services of the University of Ibadan/University College Hospital, 1984; prof. Emeritus of Medicine, University of Ibadan, 1985; chairman Ogun State Civil Service Commission, Abeokuta, 1984;mm: Royal College of Physicians, 1958; Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, 1958; Council, Nigerian Academy of Science; International Society for Hypertension; Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, London, Royal College of Physicians, London, 1970; Nigerian Medical Council of Physicians, 1976; West African College of Physicians, 1980; foundation fellow Nigerian Academy Of Science, 1982.

He held the  traditional title of  Baasegun of Ibarapa, Oyo State; Baasegun of Ijebu Remo, Ogun State.
He was a holder of the National Honour of OFR.