President Muhammadu Buhari and Ogun State government have been thrown into mourning as Nigeria’s first Professor of Medicine, Theophilus Oladipo Ogunlesi dies at 99.
Late Ogunlesi, who hailed from Sagamu area of Ogun State, died on Thursday, January 20.
The family in a statement signed by Adeleke Ogunlesi and shared by Tolu Ogunlesi, Special Assistant on Digital/New Media to President Muhammadu Buhari, confirmed his demise.
According to the family, funeral arrangements would be announced in due course.
The late Professor Emeritus is survived by his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
President Buhari also condoled with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) family members and friends of late Emeritus Professor of Medicine.
In a condolence message by the President's spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina on Friday in Abuja, said that late Ogunlesi made history in 1965 as Nigeria’s first Professor of Medicine.
Buhari also sympathised with the academia, and professional colleagues of the medical doctor and scholar.
The President noted that Ogunlesi brought pride and honour to Nigeria in scholarship and practice.
He commended him for training many students that had become Ministers of Health, Vice Chancellors of universities and medical practitioners in different specialty across the world.
Buhari prayed for the repose of the soul of the father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and God’s comfort for the family.
The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun described Ogunlesi’s death as painful.
A statement on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, confirmed that Professor Ogunlesi passed away when his vast experience in the field of Medicine was needed most, especially in the face of challenges militating against human health.
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He disclosed that the late Emeritus Professor would be sorely missed in the state, Nigeria and the world at large, adding that Ogun has lost one of the finest medical experts the world would ever produce.
Briefly
Ogunlesi was born on July 12, 1923 in Sagamu, Remo, Ogun state.
He enrolled at Yaba College of Medicine in 1947, and advanced his career at the University of London in 1953, where he qualified as a registered Medical Officer in England.
Ogunlesi made history in 1965 as Nigeria’s first Professor of Medicine.
He is Nigeria’s first Head of Department of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan and inaugural Director of the Ibarapa Community Health Programme.
The Professor Emeritus was also the first President of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.
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