Dr. Atanda’s Death: UNESCO Laureate mourns, says he was one of the first set of PhD holders in Iwoland

Gloria Yakubu

A global figure making impact in the academic macrocosm globally, the UNESCO Laureate, His Excellency Prof. Sir Bashiru Aremu has mourned the death of Dr. Oluremi Atanda, OFR (1939- 2024).

According to a statement he signed and made available to journalists in Abuja-Nigeria by his Media Director, Emmanuel Daudu, on the 7th of March, 2024, disclosed that the Late Dr. Atanda until is death was an illustrious son of Iwoland.

“Dr. Atanda’s passing is a great loss to the academic community and to Iwoland, where he was one of the first set of PhD holders. His contributions to education and research will be sorely missed, and he will be remembered as a dedicated scholar and a true and Patrotic Nigerian. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time”.

Prof. Aremu, while giving a background about the late Atanda, has this to say, “Dr. Mufutau Oluremi Ademola Atanda was a Nigerian agricultural scientist, administrator, and holder of the Nigeria’s Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).

“Born on September 22, 1939, in Iwo, Osun State, Atanda attended Amin Training Centre, a foremost Quraanic school in Iwo until 1946. He started his primary education in 1946 at the Baptist Day School, Oke Odo, in Iwo and graduated in 1952.

“For his secondary school education, he attended Molusi College, Ijebu Igbo. After his higher school certificate examination in 1958 at the Government College, Ibadan, he proceeded to study Agricultural Science at the University of Nottingham in England.

“He subsequently earned his PhD. at the University of Newcastle, UK, at a very relatively young age, and he was the first Iwo indigene to bag a PhD.

He began his research career at the West Africa Cocoa Research Institute in Ibadan in 1964 and worked there until 1972 when he joined the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria. In 1975, he left the council to serve as the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture.

“Between 1976 and 1979, Atanda worked with the National Cereals Research Institute.He later worked as the Director of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria between 1979 and 1980.

“Between 1980 and 1983, he was the Chairman of the Oyo State Civil Service Commission. He has also consulted for other bodies including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. He was on the board of trustees of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), between 1976 and 1978.

“After serving as a member of National Committee on Subsidies to Nigeria Agriculture between 1986 and 1987, Atanda retired from the public service after nearly 25 years.

“An educationalist par excellence, Dr. Atanda was the proprietor of Atanda Group of Schools.

“Until his death on March 4, 2024, Dr. Atanda was the Eketa Oba of Iwoland and Ekerin (Prime Minister) of Ikire -Ile and he was also the immediate past President of Iwo Board of Trustees.

“May Almighty Allah forgive and grant our baba, Dr. Oluremi Atanda, OFR al- janaat fridaous…Amin”, he prayed