Biography of Professor Oladapo Afolabi

Professor Oladapo Afolabi, CFR
Birthdate: October 3, 1953
Place of Birth: Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Professor Oladapo Afolabi, a distinguished academic and civil servant, served as the Head of Service of the Federation of Nigeria from November 18, 2010. Appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan, he oversaw the Nigerian Civil Service, leaving a significant mark on its modernization and operations.

Educational Background
Afolabi was born into a royal lineage, being the grandson of Oba Lawani Adeyemi, Oyeloja II, the Akinrun of Ikirun. He began his secondary education at Igbo-Elerin Grammar School, continued at Mayflower School, Ikenne, and completed it at Ibadan Grammar School.

He attended the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) from 1972 to 1975, earning a BSc in Biochemistry. After graduation, he pursued further studies at the same institution, achieving an MSc in Biochemistry in 1978 and a PhD in Applied Chemistry in 1981.

In 1983, Afolabi was awarded an International Atomic Energy Agency Fellowship at Howard University, USA.

Academic Career
Afolabi taught at several prestigious institutions, including:

Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife
University of Zimbabwe
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho
His expertise lay in environmental and food nutritional chemistry, and he contributed extensively to research in these fields.

Contributions to Environmental Science
Afolabi was instrumental in organizing Nigeria’s first Ecological Summit in 1988, which led to the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Environment. He later joined the Federal Environmental Protection Agency in 1991, rising to the position of acting director.

At the Federal Ministry of Environment (formed in 1995), he played pivotal roles, including:

Structuring the ministry’s initial framework.
Leading the Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health.
Overseeing waste management and pollution reduction initiatives in 15 major Nigerian cities.

Public Service Career
Afolabi became a permanent secretary in October 2006 under President Olusegun Obasanjo. His notable postings include:

Ministry of Labour (June 2007).
Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (November 2007).
Cabinet Secretariat (February 2009), where he initiated the digitization of official documents.
Ministry of Education (August 2009), where he resolved a three-month strike by education unions.
Head of Service
Afolabi assumed office as the Head of Service of the Federation on November 18, 2010, succeeding Steve Oronsaye. His tenure emphasized efficiency and innovation in civil service administration.

Pro-Chancellorship
Afolabi served as the Pro-Chancellor of Edwin Clark University, Delta State, and was recently appointed Pro-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Professor Oladapo Afolabi’s career spans decades of impactful service in academia, environmental science, and public administration, making him a pivotal figure in Nigeria’s development trajectory.