Wale Omole, former OAU Vice-Chancellor, dies at 84

The former Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Wale Omole, is dead.

Mr Omole, a professor, died on Wednesday at the age of 84.

His death was announced in a Wednesday statement by the President of Ijesa Society, Lateef Bakare. Mr Omole was a senior member of the society.

“With gratitude to God for an impactful life and on behalf of the Omole family and Biladu Ruling House of Ijesaland, I regret to announce the passage to eternity of our father, brother, friend and compatriot, Professor Adebowale Omole, MON,” Mr Bakare wrote.

“Professor ‘Wale Omole died peacefully at home early this morning, November 11, 2026. He celebrated his 84th birthday on August 13, 2026. He was a committed Ijesa man, a steadfast member of our Society until the recent past. Funeral arrangements will be announced when the family completes this.

“On behalf of His Imperial Majesty, Owa Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, Ajimoko III, I wish to commiserate with all of us on the demise of one of Ijesaland’s greatest human capital. I enjoin all members to please remember the family in prayers at this critical time. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” Mr Bakare wrote.

The deceased was a Nigerian animal scientist, university administrator, editorial board chairman and advocate for Yoruba cultural renewal. He was the first alumnus of the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), to become its vice-chancellor, serving from 1991 to 1999, when he was unceremoniously removed following students’ protests that blamed him for a cult attack on the university’s students that led to the death of five students.

Mr Omole attended Ilesa Grammar School from 1956 to 1962. After his secondary school, he worked at the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Ibadan.

At OAU, Mr Omole rose from assistant lecturer to Professor of Animal Science in 1980, and in 1983, he became the first alumnus to serve as Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, a position he held until 1985.

In his January 1983 inaugural lecture, he examined how material discarded as waste could be recycled into the food chain and turned into a productive resource.

Mr Omole was also the chair of the Editorial Board of The Guardian Newspaper and established a foundation devoted to education, community development and Yoruba ethics.

The deceased, in August 2024, launched Wale Omole Foundation for Virtues and Ethics in Yoruba Culture in Lagos, and grounded its mission in the Yoruba ideal of Omọlúàbí, emphasising good character and ethical conduct in public and private life.

At the launch, he outlined plans for scholarships, teacher training, educational infrastructure, community development and the preservation of Yoruba cultural heritage.