By Eromosele Ebhomele.

Professor Solomon Ogunniyi

Provost of the College of Health Sciences at the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile Ife, one of Nigeria’s foremost universities, is dead. Professor Solomon Ogunniyi, 60 years old, died in his office within the university premises on Thursday.

Though the cause of his death could not be ascertained as at press time, he reportedly went into his office and refused to come out for many hours resulting in suspicion by some of his colleagues. He was later found dead slumped in his chair.

Born in 1955 at Egbe, Kogi State, Nigeria, the late Ogunniyi attended Titcombe College, Egbe, Kogi State, Nigeria between 1969 and 1973. He proceeded to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1973 where he had B.sc (Hons) degree in 1977 and MBChB in 1980.

He had his residency training programme at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals complex, Ile Ife from 1982 to 1988 when he became a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons (FWACS).

He joined the services of the Obafemi Awolowo University in 1988 as lecturer I/Consultant and rose through the ranks to become a professor of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Perinatology in 1997, according to the university’s website which described him as a current provost.

Professor Ogunniyi won many awards of distinctions among which are Best Students in School Certificate (1973), National Scholarship Award for Best Student in Preliminary Class (1973- 1974), May and Baker prize for Best Student in Part II MBChB Examination (1978), Distinction Pass in Final Examinations in Pathology (1978), Obstetrics and Gynaecology (1980), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Prize for overall Best Student in Final MBChB Examination, Commonwealth Medical Fellowship for study and research in High Risk Obstetrics, Ultrasonography and Fetal Medicine at the University of London Royal Postgraduate medical School, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom.

He was a member of many professional bodies both within and outside Nigeria and had published over 75 full length articles in local and international scientific journals.

In the university, Professor Ogunniyi functioned in various capacities as Head, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Perinatology between 2000 and 2006, Chairman, Postgraduate Medical Training Committee of OAUTHC between 2001 and 2005 and Chairman, MDCAN (OAUTHC) between 2001 and 2006.