Oyo State Marks 50 Years, Nominates Late  Ojetunji Aboyade, Funke Aboyade, SAN for  Awards 

Wale Igbintade

The Oyo State Government has announced the nomination of  late Professor Ojetunji Aboyade, one of Nigeria’s most distinguished economists and public intellectuals, alongside his daughter, Ms. Olufunke Aboyade, SAN, for the prestigious Oyo State Award as part of activities marking the state’s 50th anniversary.

The nominations were conveyed through formal letters issued by the Oyo State @ 50 Secretariat and dated January 19, 2026.

The state government said the honours recognise individuals whose lives and work have made enduring contributions to the growth, reputation, and development of Oyo State, both locally and internationally.

The award presentation ceremony, which will mark the climax of the Oyo State @ 50 celebrations, is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at the Oyo State Banquet Hall, Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.

The ceremony will be hosted by Governor Seyi Makinde.

In the letter addressed to Ms. Aboyade, SAN, the Oyo State Government stated that her nomination was in recognition of her consistent selfless service to the growth and development of Oyo State, as well as her outstanding representation of the state on the global stage.

She is expected to attend the ceremony as a Special Guest of the Governor, with the entitlement to be accompanied by one guest.

A separate letter addressed to the family of the late Professor Aboyade announced his posthumous nomination for the state honour.

According to the government, the award is a tribute to his selfless service to Oyo State and his exceptional contributions to scholarship, governance, and public policy.

The family has been requested to nominate a representative to attend the ceremony and receive the award on his behalf.

Professor Ojetunji Aboyade, who was born on September 9, 1931, in Awe, Oyo State, is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most influential economists and development thinkers.

Despite early economic challenges that briefly interrupted his formal education, he completed his Cambridge School Certificate as a private candidate with honours, a feat that earned him a Western Regional Government Scholarship to study in the United Kingdom.

He graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Economics from the University of Hull in 1957 and proceeded to the University of Cambridge, where he earned his doctoral degree in 1960.

On returning to Nigeria, Aboyade joined the University of Ibadan as a lecturer in the Department of Economics and rose rapidly through the academic ranks, becoming a professor in 1966.

He later served as Head of Department and Dean of the Faculty of the Social Sciences, earning the reputation as the “Father of the Department” for his role in building its academic and institutional foundations.

His leadership extended beyond the university environment.

He served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, between 1975 and 1979, and later chaired the Presidential Advisory Committee from 1985 to 1992, providing policy guidance at critical moments in Nigeria’s economic history.

His international engagements included work with Yale University, the World Bank, and the International Food Policy Research Institute.

After retiring from formal academic life in 1981, he founded the Development Policy Centre in Ibadan, aimed at bridging the gap between academic research and public policy formulation.

The recognition of Ms. Olufunke Aboyade, SAN, alongside her late father brings a generational dimension to the Oyo State @ 50 honours.

A leading legal practitioner, she is the Managing Partner of Aboyade & Co and currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board of the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company.

She is a Notary Public, a seasoned arbitrator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Nigeria Branch, and an Associate of the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria.

Ms. Aboyade obtained her LL.B from the University of Ife at the age of 19, graduating in the top one per cent of her class, and proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, where she again graduated with distinctions.

She later earned an LL.M from the University of Cambridge, Jesus College, in 1985, achieving first-class grades in several courses.

In 2013, she was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, becoming the first female SAN from Oyo State and the only woman from her Law School set to attain the prestigious rank.

Beyond legal practice, she has made notable contributions to legal journalism as the pioneer editor and creator of THISDAY LAWYER, a weekly pull-out law section of THISDAY newspaper, where she also wrote a weekly column, The Wig & Skirt, for 13 years.

Her public service experience includes serving as Chairperson of the Lagos State Prerogative of Mercy Council and Co-Chair of the Nigerian Bar Association Disciplinary Committee.

The dual recognition of Professor Ojetunji Aboyade and Ms. Funke Aboyade, SAN, has been described as a fitting tribute during Oyo State’s golden jubilee celebrations, reflecting the state’s commitment to honouring excellence, integrity, and service.