The Department of Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, will on Saturday, June 28, 2025, mark its 55th anniversary with a high-profile event featuring a keynote lecture, book launch, and the unveiling of a #5 billion endowment fund.
According to a statement by the department, the celebration will take place at the Design Studio Auditorium, African Centre of Excellence, within the university campus. The event is expected to attract leading academics, industry experts, traditional rulers, and alumni from across Nigeria and beyond.
Topping the list of distinguished guests is Professor Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Senior Special Adviser to Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), who will deliver the keynote lecture. He will speak on the theme “Rebuilding the Broken Walls,” a topic expected to provide deep insights into the future of chemical engineering and its role in Africa’s sustainable development.
The university also announced that His Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, will serve as the Royal Father of the Day, underscoring the significance of the event to both the academic and wider communities.
“This milestone celebration reflects our commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community service,” the statement noted. “We are honoured to host Professor Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, whose lecture promises to be both inspiring and thought-provoking.”
The department’s endowment fund initiative is aimed at strengthening academic programs, promoting cutting-edge research, and supporting infrastructure development. The event will also feature the official launch of a commemorative book chronicling the department’s five-and-a-half decades of achievements and contributions to engineering in Nigeria.
Members of the university community, stakeholders in the engineering sector, and the general public have been invited to attend the celebration.