By Kareem Shamusudeen and Aniemeke Prisca
Africa’s First Female Professor of Computer Science, Professor Adenike Oyinola Osofisan, has said her initial thought was to study Medicine but her secondary school counsellor, Dr. Olumide Kuti, advised her to explore the field of computer science.
Prof. Adenike said this while delivering her valedictory lecture titled, “The Story of my Stewardship—Reminiscences” on Wednesday, at the Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan.
She said exploring the field of computer science was easier because there was flexibility in the educational system of the country, especially with the provision of “good libraries.”
She stated: “It is very important to make our educational system very flexible.”
Prof. Osofisan, who would be retiring from teaching profession at the University of Ibadan on March 11, 2020 said she came in contact with the university in August 1976 as a Youth Corper, after which she was later appointed as an academic staff at the department of Computer Science.
The septuagenarian continued that at the time of her appointment, the department was understaffed but she was able to restructure the activities of the department to what it is today. “If I didn’t want the department (Computer Science) to die, something drastic has to take place,” she said.
With advices from good counsels, she said the department was able to experience a turn-around in its activities as the lecturers then had to undergo the M.Sc. Program and the Mphil/PhD conversion. However, she said, “Today, we not only have conversion programme, we have M.Sc. courses as well as PhD courses.”
Also as the Foundation Director of the university’s School of Business between 12th October, 2012 and 13th July, 2018 Prof. Osofisan said she was able to broaden the scope of the School in tally with its vision— “to be the most preferred fountain of knowledge in business education, research and management.”
During the period of her appointment, however, she said, “I was responsible to the Vice-Chancellor for the day to day administration of the school,” after which she, alongside her team, was able to make the School the first accredited Business school in the country in 2015.
In the concluding part of her lecture, she made it known that she came into limelight because she refused to be defined by others.
She stated: “I silently refused to be defined by others. I chose to define myself by the activities carried out by me and my team.”
Prof. Oyinola also advised the audience to desist from making others define them because by so doing, they may be undermined by their criticisms. “My main message is never allow the world to define you but let God define you. The world will do all it can to undermine you, but you must do your best everytime,” she said.
