Professor of Medicine, Oladipo Akinkugbe, Dies at 87

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The first Professor of Medicine in Nigeria, Emeritus Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe has died at the age of 87, after a brief illness. He died in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He studied and taught at some of the world’s most prestigious universities, including the University of London, Balliol College, University of Oxford England and Harvard Medical School Boston, United States of America.

The late Medical Director of Ibadan Hypertension Clinic was a famous nephrologist and hypertension expert at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

Taking special interest in hypertension and kidney diseases, he had made tremendous contributions in these areas.

Professor Akinkugbe served as Pro-Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt; was a former Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria; a former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin; and a former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ibadan.

Before hanging the stethoscope, Akinkugbe  practised medicine for 60 years. During the period, he pioneered the establishment of two critical clinics, one in hypertension and the other in renal disorders at the UCH, Ibadan. Both clinics were firsts in Africa.

After retirement, Akinkugbe established his own clinic, the Ibadan Hypertension Clinic, which he managed for 20 years.

He was a recipient of the National Honour of Cote De Voire. Within Nigeria, Professor Akinkugbe was Foundation Chairman Joint Admission and Matriculation Board [JAMB]; Principal and Foundation Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin; Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria; Chairman Planning Committee, Ondo State University; Chairman Planning Committee, University of Abuja; Chairman of the Presidential Projects Implementation Committee (PPIC) on the refurbishing of Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria; Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, University of Port Harcourt.

To each appointment, he has brought a very high degree of knowledge, skill, thoroughness, dedication and above all integrity and transparency. He is married with two sons.