The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has been thrown into mourning following the death of one of its former Vice-Chancellors, Professor Adebowale Omole, popularly known as Professor Wale Omole.
The renowned academic and university administrator reportedly died in the early hours of Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the age of 84.
The university announced his death in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, describing his passing as a painful loss to the Great Ife community, the Nigerian university system and the wider academic community. TheConclaveNg +1
Omole’s Eight-Year Legacy at OAU
Professor Omole served as Vice-Chancellor of OAU, then known as the University of Ife, between November 1991 and November 1999.
He made history as the first alumnus of the institution to become its Vice-Chancellor.
His academic journey began at the University of Ife, where he obtained a Bachelor of Agriculture degree in 1968 and an MPhil in Animal Science in 1970.
He later proceeded to the University of Alberta, Canada, where he obtained a doctorate in Nutritional Biochemistry in 1973.
Before becoming Vice-Chancellor, he rose through the academic ranks at OAU, eventually becoming a professor of Animal Science in the early 1980s and Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture between 1983 and 1985.
He also served briefly as a professor at Alabama A&M University in the United States between 1986 and 1987. The Guardian Nigeria
OAU Reacts to His Death
The current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, expressed condolences on behalf of the Governing Council, Management, Senate, staff, students, alumni and the entire university community.
The university described Omole’s contributions to scholarship, university administration and higher education as enduring, adding that his legacy would remain part of OAU’s history.
It also prayed for God to grant his family the strength to bear the loss. TheConclaveNg
Another Major Loss to Nigeria’s Academic Community
Beyond his service at OAU, Professor Omole also served as Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Guardian Newspapers, extending his influence beyond university administration into journalism and public affairs.
His death marks the passing of another prominent figure in Nigeria’s academic and intellectual community.
Editorial fact-check note: The Guardian reports his date of birth as August 13, 1939, which would make him 87 on November 11, 2026, although its headline and report state 84.