Professor Olayiwola Babatunde Shittu at 70, by Idowu Olayinka

Professor Olayiwola Babatunde Shittu at 70: Salute to an Extraordinary Consultant Urologist for Whom Selfless Service to Humanity is Second Nature, by Idowu Olayinka

With a privilege to pursue my entire professional career at the University of Ibadan since the late 1980s except for periods spent outside the shores of Nigeria as a Research Fellow and within Nigeria as Visiting Professor to a number of Universities it is not totally unexpected that one would have known many intelligent academics who equally ply their trade in Nigeria’s Premier University.  This short piece is deservedly dedicated to one such individual.

OBS as he refers to himself and ‘Ore Agba’ (Friend of the Elderly) to those of us in his circle of friends, Professor Olayiwola Babatunde Shittu was born on the 4th of August 1956 in the Isalegangan area on Lagos Island to Alhaji Sheik Abdul Wahab Ajisafe Shittu and Alhaja Saudat Aduke Mosobalaje Shittu (nee Awelenje).

He attended multiple primary schools on Lagos Island, including Fazl-omar School, Ojogiwa, St. Paul”s Primary School, Breadfruit, and Okesuna Primary School.

His secondary school education was at Ansarud Deen Grammar School, Randle Avenue, Surulere on the Lagos Mainland and he passed out with Distinction with the best result in the school up to that time in June 1974.

He was admitted into the Preliminary Science Class in the University of Ibadan to read Medicine in September of the same year following his success in the Concessional Entrance Examination of 1974. He graduated with an MB, BS Degree in June 1980. That was still when the academic calendar of public universities in Nigeria was stable and predictable.

He was selected on merit to serve the mandatory one year of internship at the UCH Ibadan between July 1980 to June 1981 before proceeding to serve the mandatory one year in the National Youth Service Corp Scheme with the Nigerian Prisons Serevice at the Ikoyi Prison and the Kirikiri Maximum prisons.

He was admitted into the Surgical Residency programme of the UCH, Ibadan, in 1985 and passed the final FELLOWSHIP examination of the West African College of Surgeons in 1989. He passed the Fellowship examination of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1989.

He was subsequently employed as a Lecturer in Surgery at the College of Medicine of the University of Ibadan and concomitantly an Honourary Consultant Urologist to the University College Hospital in 1994, retiring on attaining the retirement age of 70 years  as a Professor of Surgery and Consultant Urologist.

OBS served the University of Ibadan diligently, dutifully and with distinction for over 32 years. He was Assistant Hall Warden, Hall Warden, and Hall Master of Allexander Brown Hall for over 10 years. He deservedly received a Brownite of Honour and the Roll of Honour from the Hall.

He was twice voted the Best Clinical Lecturer by the  University of Ibadan Medical Students’ Association (UIMSA).

His publication in the African Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences on Delayed Primary Realignment of Posterior Urethral Stricture was once selected by MERA (Medical Research Africa) as the best journal article for the period of review.

He was honoured as a foundation Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Nigeria in 2021 in recognition for research teaching and services to Surgery and Urology. He served as Head of Surgery, Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (DCMAC) and as a member of the Board of Management of UCH for two years among other high profile preferments.

He served as a member of the Senate Committee on Emeritus Professors and the Chairman of the Technical Committee for there Selection of Emeritus Professor for two consecutive terms.

He is married to a lady whom he met at the Central Cafeteria in the University of Ibadan in 1977 when they were both undergraduate students. Mojisola Adejumoke (nee Dina) from Ijebu Oru Dynasty in Ogun State, was then pursuing her first degree in Science (Chemistry). They got married in Lagos in 1982 and the union is blessed with three successful adult children, Mutiat Omolola, Abd Sheriff Olanrewaju , and Sheriffat Omotolani and adorable grandchildren.

Ore Agba, you a very wonderful human being. On many occasions over the last 16 years or so whenever any member of the University of Ibadan was in distress you were one person I would put a call through to for urgent medical attention, no matter whether the case at hand was in your area of specialisation.  Never for once have you disappointed us. To you  offering a helping hand to a fellow human being is duty. Please know that you are always in our prayerful thoughts. Enjoy your retirement as we wish you everlasting bliss in the land of the living.