Renowned Forest Resources and Medical Plant Expert, Prof. Samuel Adeniran Oluwalana clocked Seventy (70) and retired from public service on Thursday, June 29, 2023 according to a formal statement released and made available to FUNAAB Bulletin, on behalf of the family by the Matriarch, Prof. (Mrs.) Elizabeth Oluwalana.
“Baba Oluwalana” as fondly called by his teeming admirers within and outside the University Community is a Professor of Forest Resources Management, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM), FUNAAB.
Prof. Oluwalana joined the University in 1983 and is retiring honourably after serving the institution’s and his father’s land meritoriously for forty (40) years.
The erudite scholar whose mastery of forest resources as potent and proven cure for various ailments and diseases is wizardry and legendary is generous to a fault in the dispensation of nature and herbal remedies free of charge to many within and outside the University Community who sought his expertise.
Prof. Oluwalana’s retirement is coming six (6) months after he delivered the University’s 72nd Inaugural Lecture on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at the sprawling Oluwafemi Balogun Ceremonial Building.
The uniqueness and peculiarity of the Inaugural Lecture titled, “Forest: A Boundless Health and Wealth Territory” will go down indelibly as a wake up call to stakeholders, especially Nigerians to harness the boundless health and wealth in our forests, moreso that age hasn’t altered the axiom positing that ‘Health is wealth”.
A man of many parts rolled into an enigma, Prof. Oluwalana carved a niche in FUNAAB as the Dean of Student Affairs in the Administration of Prof. Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, a quintessential Administrator with infectious midas touch that transformed the University to a reference point of centre of excellence and infrastructural development, thus earning the sobriquet of “The Architect of Modern FUNAAB”.
As the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Oluwalana interpreted and executed his roles and responsibilities to the students perfectly:
His robust rapport, impeccable understanding of the weaknesses and strengths of the teeming students, ditto his “easy does it” soft and deft touches strategy of addressing their needs and synergising them mutually with Management and staff, for the overall development of the University earned him the appellation of “Baba Ewe”(The father of the teeming students) on campus.
Prof. Oluwalana’s unrepentant and die-hard love for the students as their Dean is a reflection and portraiture of the popular passage in the Holy Book, “Let the children come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of God”.
Checks revealed that “Baba Oluwalana” was and he’s still deeply committed to the welfare and progress of FUNAABITES to the extent of paying the school fees of some of them and mentoring many.
An unsung hero, detribalised, unassuming, easy going and God fearing, Prof. Oluwalana had earlier served as Coordinator and Head of Department.
He was adjudged and honoured by the University as UNAAB Best Academic Staff, 1988/89 Academic Session.
Prof. Oluwalana research interests are Bioprospecting (Ethnic-Classification and Uses of Forest Plants and Products) and Therapeutic Forest, Natural Vitamins, Amino Acid Cures and Bee Keeping, among others.
Prof. Oluwalana belong to several academic and professional bodies. These include:
– Forestry Association of Nigeria (FAN);
– Forests, Trees and People Network International Rural Development Centre;
– Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Upsalla, Sweden;
– Beekeepers Association of Nigeria, and
– Association for the Taxonomic Study of the Flora of Tropical Area.
A lover of God, the University Don is a member of Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship.
He has several academic publications in international journals to his credit and he is happily married to Prof. (Mrs.) Elizabeth Oluwalana and blessed with children.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Babatunde Kehinde, on behalf of Management, Staff, Students and the entire University Community is wishing PROFESSOR SAMUEL ADENIRAN OLUWALANA happy retirement in divine prosperity, guidance, protection and long life, to the glory of God and benefit of humanity.
