Professor Ayo Banjo Dies

A former vice-chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof Ayodeji Banjo has died after marking 90th birthday.

According to family sources he died in the early hours of today, exactly 22 days after his 90th birthday.

Prof Banjo was the emeritus professor of English language and pro-chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo. He was VC of UI between 1984 and 1991.

He attended St. Andrews Anglican Primary School and Christ Cathedral Primary School in Lagos State, Nigeria.

He attended Igbobi College in Lagos, between 1947 and 1952. In 1966, he won the American State Department scholarship award for a Master of Art (M.A) degree in linguistics at the University of California, Los Angeles, United States and later obtained a Doctorate degree (PhD) in 1969 from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

He began his career as a lecturer at the department of English language, University of Ibadan in 1966. He was appointed associate professor in 1973 and became a full professor in 1975 at the University of Ibadan.

In 1981, he became the Vice Chancellor of the UI. He was appointed VC in 1984, a position he held till 1991. During this period, he was the chairman committee of vice chancellors of Nigerian universities.

He served as visiting professor for one year at the University of West Indies at Cave Hill as well as visiting fellow at the University of Cambridge, England between 1993 and 1994.

He was appointed the pro-chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt between 2000 and 2004. After his tenure he was appointed as pro-chancellor of the University of Ilorin for two years (2005-2007). He also served as the incumbent pro-chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University.