Fading Away Like The Stars of The Morning — UI VC’s Oration on Slain Late Prof Ajewole

Fading away like the stars of the morning,

Losing their light in the glorious sun –

Thus would we pass from the earth and its toiling, only remembered by what we have done.

“An honest man here lies at rest, the friend of men, the friend of truth, the friend of age and guide of youth: few hearts like his, with virtue warmed, few heads with knowledge so informed, if there is another world, he lives in bliss, if there is none, he made the best of this”

Late Professor Opeyemi Isaac Ajewole was born on March 6, 1962. He had over 30 years’ experience in teaching, research and consultancy in renewable natural resource economics and environmental management, having started his teaching career at the University of Ado-Ekiti in 2002 where he was until 2008 when he was appointed Senior Lecturer at the University of Ibadan.

He became an Associate Professor in 2013 and a full Professor of Forest Economics, Urban & Environmental Forestry in 2016.

He was a consultant Forest Economist with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy, International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), Yokohama, Japan, National FADAMA Development Programme, Abuja, Nigeria and Africa Forest Network (AFORNET), Kenya.

He prepared the training manual on the Economics of Integrated Fish – Rice and Poultry Production and conducted a study on the Socio-Economics of Sustainable Integrated Aquaculture Development: Fish – Rice and Pigs Production in Nigeria.

The study was conducted under Poverty Eradication and Grassroots Empowerment through Sustainable Integrated Aquaculture Development: Fish – Rice and Piggery Production Project for CORAF/WECARD, Dakar, Senegal.

In 2016, he led a team of three on “Costing of Sustainable Forestry, Agroforestry and Biomass Energy in Rwanda, as well as investigated Policies and other issues relating to Food-Fuel-Fibre Production nexus in the Context of Climate Change in West Africa for the African Forest Forum, Nairobi, Kenya.

He was a Life Member and Fellow, Forestry Association of Nigeria, Member, International Biometrics Society, International Development Economics Associates, World Council on Protected Area and African Forest Forum.

He was the Assistant Project Manager (Forester) for Heritage Resources Conservation Project, Nigeria between 2000-2001. In 2002 he was a forest economics consultant for Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome Italy on “Analysis of Trends in Forest Charges and Government Expenditure on Forestry in Africa”.

In 2006, he was a resource person for Yamoof Nig. Ltd, Ibadan for a Training Workshop on Environmental and Social Impact Assessment as well as scientist/researcher for African Forestry Research Network (AFORNET) on a project “Impact of Charcoal Production on Biodiversity in Selected Countries of West Africa”.

In 2007, he was resource personnel for the National FADAMA Development project, Abuja for a Training Workshop on Sustainability of Local Development Planning at the Community Level. As a resource person for a University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, organized workshop in 2008 he was a trainer on Data Collection, Management and Analysis in Academic Research.

In 2009 he was resource Person for the National FADAMA Development project, Abuja on the Review of CEMP Performance Indicators and Updating of the Monitoring Format. Between 2008 – 2009, he was the Consultant National Expert for International Tropical Timber Organization, Hiroshima, Japan on Promotion of Intra-African Trade in Timber and Timber Products: Untapped Opportunities for Tropical Timber Producers in Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Cameroon, Morocco, Republic of South Africa and Egypt.

In 2010, he was Sustainable Development consultant and trainer for Earthguard Limited, Abuja, Nigeria Environmental Impact Assessment Checklist and Procedures as well as the National FADAMA Development project, Abuja, Nigeria on Beneficiaries’ Impact Assessment of FADAMA-GEF Project. In 2011, he consulted for the National FADAMA Development Project, Abuja, Nigeria on Implementation Completion Review of FADAMA-GEF Project.

He was the ECOWAS (Lome) Expert Facilitator in 2012 for the Organization’s Sub Regional Meeting of Directors, Board of Forestry and Wildlife on Forest Convergence Project. He consulted for AFF in 2016 on Consultant Policies and other Issues Relating to the Nexus Food- Fuel-Fibre Production in the Context of Climate Change in West Africa, for FAO (Rwanda office) on Costing of Sustainable Forestry, Agroforestry and Biomass Energy in Rwanda, for CORAF/WECARD (Dakar, Senegal). He was the Expert Facilitator for AFDB in 2018 for her Expert Group Meeting on Timber Value Chain in Abidjan.

He served as Warden, Independence Hall from 2012- 2018. He was Head, Department of Forest Production and Products. He was amiable, easy going and well loved by all who knew him.

Professor Ajewole had six (6) Chapters in books already published, thirteen (13) articles that have already appeared in Refereed Conference Proceedings, thirty-one (31) articles that have already appeared in learned journals and seven (7) Technical Reports to his credit.

He is survived by a wife, two sons and relatives.

Farewell to you, IROKO, but not farewell to all our fondest thoughts of you, within our hearts the thoughts still shall dwell, and they shall cheer and comfort us. Even though we are sad, we think of the life you lived, Professor Opeyemi Isaac AJEWOLE and we are comforted that you lived a good life.

ADIEU

Professor K. O. Adebowale mni, FAs

Vice-Chancellor