Professor of Anatomy at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Olugbenga Abayomi Okanlawon, marked his 70th birthday and bowed out of active service to the University amid tributes celebrating a career distinguished by scholarship, mentorship, institutional service and a lasting commitment to preserving the history of UNILAG.
The celebration, which was held on Friday, September 4, 2026, at the Old Great Hall, College of Medicine, UNILAG (CMUL), Idi-Araba, brought together distinguished academics, University administrators, former colleagues, family members and other dignitaries from Nigeria and abroad. Many of them paid tribute to Professor Okanlawon’s intellectual contributions and his impact on generations of students and scholars.
“He Ended Well”
In her tribute, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, celebrated Professor Okanlawon’s accomplishments, particularly his exceptional work in writing and documenting the University’s history. She congratulated Professor Okanlawon on what she described as the successful completion of his active service.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that Professor Okanlawon had left two significant legacies: his contributions to the academic disciplines of Anatomy and Medicine, and his remarkable efforts to preserve the University’s institutional memory.
Professor Ogunsola observed that, through his documentation of the University’s events, personalities and institutional development over several decades, Professor Okanlawon had helped address the challenge of institutional memory loss.
Expressing appreciation to Professor Okanlawon for the years of service and intellectual contributions to the University, Professor Ogunsola described his historical compendium on the University as an important asset that would continue to serve the institution and future generations.
“A Builder of People and Institutions”
The Provost of College of Medicine (CMUL), Professor Ademola Oremosu, also showered encomiums on Professor Okanlawon, describing him as an anatomist of repute.
He noted that Professor Okanlawon’s contributions extended beyond the classroom and laboratory. According to him, the celebrant had also become a custodian of the memory of both the University and the College of Medicine through his historical publications.
He described Professor Okanlawon as a builder who contributed not only through academic knowledge but also through policies, people and vision.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics and Research), Professor Matthew Olusoji Ilori, also commended Professor Okanlawon’s contributions to the University, noting that he had left an indelible institutional legacy characterised by professionalism, diligence and a commitment to academic excellence.
Also speaking, Professor Oladapo Ashiru described the celebrant’s contribution to scholarship as intentional and enduring, noting that his intellectual imprint would remain an important part of the University’s academic history.
A Legacy Beyond Anatomy
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Governing Board, National Universities Commission (NUC) and immediate past Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, FAS, described Professor Okanlawon as a scholar distinguished by excellence, honesty, integrity and meticulous attention to detail.
Professor Ogundipe said the celebrant had contributed significantly to the intellectual life of UNILAG beyond his discipline of Anatomy, particularly through his writings on the history and development of the University.
He singled out Professor Okanlawon’s book, Discovering the University of Lagos One Day at a Time , describing it as an important record of the University’s institutional journey and a valuable resource for understanding its history, people and milestones.
According to him, the publication would remain an important reference point for generations seeking to understand the evolution of UNILAG.
“A Life Lived for Others”
For the family, the occasion was equally a celebration of a life devoted to service.
The celebrant’s son, Jonathan Okanlawon, described Professor Olugbenga Abayomi Okanlawon’s retirement as a moment of gratitude, reflection and celebration. He expressed the family’s appreciation for the decades his father had devoted to medicine, academia, teaching, mentoring and service.
Jonathan said one of the most important lessons the family had learnt from Professor Okanlawon was that “a meaningful life is a life lived for others.” He added that his father’s retirement from active University service should not be regarded as an ending, but as the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
“Beyond Anatomy: Custodian of Memory, Maker of Scholars, Builder of Institution”
Delivering the keynote address, titled “ Beyond Anatomy: Custodian of Memory, Maker of Scholars, Builder of Institution ,” the Dean of UNILAG School of Postgraduate Studies, Professor Abraham Osinubi, reflected on the broader significance of Professor Okanlawon’s academic career.
Professor Osinubi said the celebrant’s greatest contribution could not be measured solely by his work in Anatomy, but also by the people he had mentored, the scholars he had helped develop and the institutional knowledge he had preserved.
He noted that Professor Okanlawon’s influence had extended through postgraduate supervision, teaching and mentorship, contributing to the development and reproduction of intellectual capacity within the University.
According to him, UNILAG is fortunate to have benefited from a scholar whose career had combined teaching, knowledge production, research and mentorship.
The SPGS Dean noted that one of the clearest measures of leadership is the ability to produce people who can continue to succeed after one’s departure. He therefore described Professor Okanlawon as a scholar who had built intellectual and institutional capital capable of outliving his active years of service.
He noted that, through sustained scholarship, hard work and sincerity of purpose, the celebrant had contributed to creating a reservoir of institutional knowledge and developing generations of scholars.
A Legacy That Continues
The tributes at the celebration painted a picture of a scholar whose career extended beyond professional achievement to include the less visible but equally important work of mentoring people, documenting institutional history and preparing others to carry the academic torch forward.
As Professor Okanlawon transitions from active University service, his contributions to Anatomy, scholarship, mentorship and the preservation of UNILAG’s institutional memory remain enduring parts of his legacy.
