Obituary
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Remembering a friend to many and a colleague in the Isaac O. Akinyele |
It is with great sadness and regret that we learnt of the demise of one of Africa’s finest professionals in the area of food and nutritional sciences. We at AJFAND have decided to carry this eulogy which was carried on the website of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria. We have created a web page for him where we are placing many of the messages of condolence that are coming our way. Isaac, rest in peace, and may the Almighty comfort your family during this very sad time of loss.
Professor Isaac Olaoluwa Akinyele, a renowned Human Nutrition and Development expert was born in Ibadan in September 1947. He attended Government College Ibadan from 1960 to 1966, University of Ibadan from September 1967 to June 1970 and obtained his MSc in May 1974 and PhD in May 1976 from the University of Illinois Urbana Illinois USA.
He joined the Department of Human Nutrition in the University of Ibadan on September 20 1976 as Lecturer II. He was a visiting Associate Professor at Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA in the 1982/83 session during his sabbatical year and became a Professor of the University of Ibadan on October 1 1990. He was Head, Department of Human Nutrition UI from 1991-1995, He also served as the Head, Department of Human Nutrition for the second time between 1 August 2009 to July 31 2013. He became Dean, Faculty of Public Health from 1 August 2004-July 31 2008.
Professor Akinyele was President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria from 2002 to 2004. He was also President of the Society for International Development (SID) Ibadan Chapter from 1988 to 1998 and member International Governing Council of the Society for International Development from 1991 to 2000 serving the last three years under the Presidency of Dr Boutrous Boutrous Ghali the former Secretary General of the United Nations. Professor Akinyele was the President of the Food Basket Foundation International, the first indigenous Nutrition-based, non-profit, non-governmental organization in Nigeria since 1989.
Professor Akinyele has received many awards for his contributions in various spheres of life. He received the outstanding achievement award for NGO management in Africa in 1999. He was a Fellow of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria 2003 and Fellow of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (2005). In recognition of his outstanding contributions to research in nutritional sciences nationally and internationally. He was one of only three Nigerians so honored since IUNS was established in 1948. He received an award of merit for his contribution to the development of Public Health in Africa in 2008.He was the first Nigerian to receive the Nestle Nutrition Institute for Africa award for outstanding contribution to Public Health Nutrition in Africa in 2008. He was honored by the Nutrition Society of Nigeria with an award of excellence for his contribution to Nutritional Sciences in Nigeria. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology in October 2012.
Professor Akinyele , till his sad demise was the national coordinator of the NIGERIA FOODS DATABASE network and was elected to serve from 2011 to 2016 as the Regional Coordinator for Africa of the African Food Data System network (AFROFOODS) which is the African arm of the FAO/ INFOODS.
Professor Akinyele served as a Consultant for the Food and Nutrition Division of FAO between from 1986 to 2007 and carried out assignments severally in Rome, Italy, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Professor Akinyele has also served as a consultant to UNICEF, UNDP, USAID, IFAD, HKI and the World Bank in Washington D.C and Nigeria country office Abuja.
Professor Akinyele was an erudite scholar whose academic achievements are unique in the application of a broad-based and integrated approach to teaching and research which is multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary. Professor Akinyele served as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator for many National and International Research projects.
Professor Akinyele supervised and mentored many students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and graduated 80 B.Sc,over 65 M.Sc, 6 MPH and 10 Ph.D candidates, two of whom have been Professors for over five years. Others work in universities, International organizations such as UNICEF, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Helen Keller International (HKI), Micronutrient Initiative (MI) Canada, in food industries such as Nestle Nigeria PLc, Unilever Nigeria Plc and in government Ministries of Health and Agriculture at State and Federal levels.
Professor Akinyele had to his credit over 140 publications representing chapters in books, articles in learned peer reviewed journals, technical reports and conference proceedings. Professor Akinyele was married with children and grandchildren.
He was called to glory on Thursday, 27th February, 2014. He will be sadly missed by the Nutrition community in Nigeria, Africa and the world.
Other Condolence Messages |
From: Food Composition Discussion Group [mailto:InFoods-Food-Comp-L@LITSERV.FAO.ORG] On Behalf Of Victor Enujiugha Dear Colleagues, We at AFROFOODS deeply mourn the untimely and shocking passing on of our amiable coordinator who has given so much to the field of nutrition and has contributed significantly to improved food security and biodiversity exploitation in Africa. The last one week has been a period of great sadness for us in Nigeria. The first major workshop of the National Working Group on Food Composition held only in November, 2013 at his instance, and we are just about getting a complete FCDB for Nigeria! May his soul rest in perfect peace. Victor Enujiugha Dr. Victor N. Enujiugha |
From: "Pehrsson, Pamela" <Pamela.Pehrsson@ars.usda.gov> We express our deepest condolences upon the passing of Dr. Akinyele. Though I did not know him personally, his reputation was great - nutritionists and food composition researchers around the world will miss him for years to come. USDA, Agricultural Research Service |
From: Dolores Daniela Peñafiel Anchundia <DoloresDaniela.PenafielAnchundia@UGENT.BE>; From Ghent University (Belgium) and ESPOL (Ecuador) Daniela PENAFIEL |
From: "abdellatifbour@yahoo.fr" <abdellatifbour@yahoo.fr> On behalf of members of Morocan Society of Nutrition we are sorry to hear this bad news about our Professor and coordinator Prof. Isaac. Our condolences for his family and his team. Pr Abdellatif Bour, |
From: "Fatimata Ouattara" <fatiouatt@yahoo.com> Dear Victor , |
From: "Dr. George Amponsah Annor" <georgeannor@yahoo.com> We at WAFOODS are very shocked at the demise of Prof. He really has contributed to NUTRITION in Africa and the world as a whole. George A Annor (PhD) Coordinator: West African Food Data Systems (WAFOODS) |
From: "Charrondiere, Ruth (ESN)" <Ruth.Charrondiere@fao.org> Dear all, Our sincere condolescence to his family and colleagues Ruth |
From: "Dayawatee Goburdhun" <daya@uom.ac.mu> Our deepest condoleances to the family, friends and close ones. May his soul rest in peace. His work and contribution will always be remembered and valued |
From: "Shazia Nathoo" <snathoo@axxya.com> Our condolences to the family, colleagues, and friends. May his soul rest in eternal peace Shazia Nathoo RD LD |
From: "王竹" <wzhblue@163.com> From Zhu Wang |
From: "Marie-Claude Dop" <marieclaude.dop@ird.fr> On behalf of all my IRD colleagues who knew him and enjoyed working with him please extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends !! Marie Claude Dop |
From: "Jenny Ruales"<jenny.ruales@EPN.EDU.EC> Our condolences to his family, colleagues, and friends. May his soul rest in eternal peace Dr. Jenny Ruales |
