CITATION OF PROFESSOR ARINOLA OLASUMBO SANYA

The Governing Council of the University of Ibadan has appointed Professor Arinola Olasumbo Sanya as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) with effect from 13 May, 2012. She succeeds Prof Elijah Afolabi Bamgboye.

Professor Arinola Olasumbo Sanya was born in Lagos on 25th April, 1953 to Pa Daniel Oladejo and Madam Felicia Adeoti Akinpelu of Agbole David Kukomi of Oke Offa Baba Isale Onigbagbo, Ibadan.

After her elementary education at Salvation Army School, Surulere, Lagos, in 1966, she was admitted to the prestigious Queen’s College Yaba, Lagos where she obtained her Higher School Certificate in June 1973. Her stay at the Queen’s College was remarkable, being marked by her excellent grades at both the Ordinary and Advanced levels of GCE, as well as being the Head Girl of the esteemed girls’ College. It is noteworthy that Professor Sanya was admitted into the prestigious Queen’s College Hall of Fame in October 2002.

She gained admission to read Physiotherapy at the University of Ibadan from September 1973 to June 1976. She returned to UI for her postgraduate training obtaining Masters and PhD degrees in Exercise Physiology in 1981 and 1986, respectively.

Her first employment as a University teacher was in the University of Ibadan as a Graduate Assistant in April 1978 and she climbed every rung of university promotion ladder from being an Assistant Lecturer in 1981 to becoming a Professor in October 2000.

She is the first female Professor of Physiotherapy in Africa, a brilliant, hardworking, responsible wife, mother, grandmother and a proud alumna of the College of Medicine of the University of Ibadan. She has proudly flown the flag of the Ibadan College of Medicine during stints of academic activities at the College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between 1990 to 1992 as an Assistant Professor, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar in 1997 as a Locum clinical teacher and the College of Medicine, University of Lagos between July 2004 and June 2005 as a Visiting Professor.

She has served as external examiner for both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in many universities including Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Lagos, Bayero University Kano, University of Nigeria Nsukka, University of Maiduguri, Nnamdi Azikiwe University and the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana.

Professor Sanya is a regular face at scientific conferences, workshops, seminars in addition to being a well published physiotherapy scientist as evident by her numerous articles in peer reviewed journals, monograms, conference proceedings and chapters in books.

Professor Sanya has contributed immensely to this University, not only in terms of teaching, but she has successfully supervised research works of more than 75 undergraduate and postgraduate students including six completed PhD works. She was the Coordinator, Acting and substantive Head of Physiotherapy Department at various times. She is currently the Head Department of Physiotherapy.

At various times, she served as a member of various standing and Ad-Hoc Committees at the Faculty, College and the Universality among which is the Faculty Finance Committee, College of Medicine Appointment and Promotion Committee, University Staff Housing Allocation Committee, University Staff Housing Loan Committee, College of Medicine Fund-Raising Committee, Board of Staff School, Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee and the UI Senate Truth Committee.

As a result of her expertise, uprightness and vast knowledge of academic and extra-curricular subjects, she has served the nation as a member of the National Universities Commission’s panels to accredit University programmes at the undergraduate levels in Physiotherapy, Medical Radiography, Physiology, Biochemistry, Anatomy, Medicine and Nursing. She was the Chairman of the National Universities Commission panels to draw up SIWES for Physiotherapy, the Revised Minimum Academic Standard for Physiotherapy, Merger Document for Minimum Academic Standard and Benchmark Statement for physiotherapy training at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Professor Arinola Sanya has served as Member, Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeriafrom 1993 to 2007, Member, Board of the University College Hospital, Ibadan in 2005, Vice-Chairman of the Oyo State Action Committee of HIV/AIDS and as the Commissioner for Health in Oyo State in the administration of Governor Rasheed Ladoja in 2005.

Professor Arinola Olasumbo Sanya, a teacher of teachers who is currently teaching her 33rd generation of physiotherapists at the university of Ibadan, is married to a successful Pharmacist and businessman; Sir (Dr) Adeyemi Sanya in a matrimony that is blessed with four children and one grandchild.