Ex-OOU VC, Prof Olaitan dies at 60
A former Vice Chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye , Ogun State and renowned Professor of Political Science, Prof. Wale Are Olaitan has died at age 60.
Olaitan who hailed from Ijebu Igbo, was a distinguished scholar, a passionate educator, and a relentless advocate for social justice.
His academic journey began at Molusi College, Ijebu-Igbo, after which he worked briefly as a secondary school teacher before gaining admission to the Political Science Department of Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University), Ago-Iwoye, as part of its pioneering class in 1982.
Olaitan graduated in 1986 as the Overall Best Student, delivering the university’s first-ever valedictory speech.
Recognizing his brilliance and exemplary conduct, the university immediately appointed him as a Graduate Assistant and sponsored his postgraduate studies at the University of Ibadan, where he earned a doctorate in Political Science.
He was a renowned expert in Political Theory and State-Economy, who authored and co-authored over 40 books and academic papers published in local and international journals.
His contributions to academia and governance were profound, serving in various capacities at the university, including Head of the Political Science Department, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and ultimately, as the first alumnus to become Vice-Chancellor.
Beyond academia, Olaitan maintained a widely respected weekly column, “Discourse,” in the Nigerian Tribune, where he passionately engaged with national and global issues. He also served as Chairman, Editorial Board of the defunct The Westerner Magazine.
