First Professor of Architecture In Nigeria, Ekundayo Adeyinka Adeyemi Is Dead

Professor Ekundayo Adeyinka Adeyemi, the first professor of Architecture in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa is dead.

He passed to glory at the early hours of Tuesday, January 25, 2022 barely a month to his 85^th birthday. He was born on February 27, 1937.

In a statement by his family, signed by Adebukola Oyesiku nee Adeyemi, the man popularly regarded as the ‘Grandfather’ of Architecture in Nigeria died following a brief illness.

“With immense gratitude and total submission to the will of God for His great faithfulness, our family announces the peaceful transition to glory of our loving father, Professor Ekundayo Adeyinka Adeyemi, FNIA, Professor Emeritus of Architecture, FUTA, died in the early hours of the 25th of January 2022 following a brief illness. We thank God for his life of service to God and mankind. We kindly request that you continue to remember our family in your prayers,” the statement read.

The Man Ekundayo Adeyinka Adeyemi

Ekundayo Adeyinka Adeyemi was a distinguished professor of architecture at Covenant University. In 1975, Adeyemi attained professorship at Ahmadu Bello University, a promotion that made him the first professor of architecture in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Early life and education

Born to parents from Ekiti State, Adeyemi attended four different primary schools across various states before concluding his basic education in Ekiti State. His secondary education was completed at Christ’s School Ado Ekiti, the state capital in 1956. In 1963, he obtained a degree in architecture from Ahmadu Bello University. In 1965, he got his master’s degree from Columbia University. This was followed by another masters in Urban planning from New York University in 1973. His PhD thesis was on Kaduna Capital Territory and Metropolitan Lagos: An Analysis of Administrative and Institutional Framework for Urban land Planning and Development and was completed in the same institution by 1974.

Career

Adeyemi was regarded as the first professor of architecture in Nigeria, he was also reported as being the pioneer academic to attain a professorship in architecture in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Academic and administrative positions

Ekundayo was a member of several professional bodies including the Nigerian Institute of Architects, the African Union of Architects and the American Institute of Planners. Ekundayo started his lecturing career at Ahmadu Bello University in 1969, where he rose through the ranks to become the dean of faculty of environmental design in 1976. He was made a professor at the university the previous year. In 1982, Ekundayo went on sabbatical to the University of Sheffield as a visiting professor. In 1988, Ekundayo was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Technology Akure. Between 1999 and 2002, he was selected as Ag. Vice-Chancellor of the school. In 2004, he came out of retirement to become the dean of the College of Science and Technology and a distinguished professor at Covenant University. He was also regarded as a father to many people, And he helped set up Architecture departments in a few universities in Nigeria.