Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has reconstituted the Governing Council of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, appointing globally renowned development economist and innovation policy expert, Professor Banji Oyelaran Oyeyinka, as chairman.
The appointment, which takes immediate effect, was announced on Monday in a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi.
Professor Oyelaran Oyeyinka, currently serving as Senior Special Adviser on Industrialisation to the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), will lead a seven member council tasked with repositioning the teaching hospital as a centre of excellence in medical education, research, and healthcare delivery.
Other members of the council include Mr Olatunde Gabriel Oyelade, Dr Bello Adebayo Taiwo, Mrs Isola Agnes Bolanle, Dr Akintunde Kehinde Ayinde, Professor Olawale Adebayo Olakulehin, and Professor Adenike Olugbenga Bello.
Widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most distinguished development economists, Professor Oyelaran Oyeyinka brings decades of experience spanning academia, multilateral institutions, and international development policy. He has held key roles at the United Nations, including Director of the Monitoring and Research Division at UN Habitat and Chief Scientific Adviser at the United Nations Centre for Science and Technology for Development.
A first class graduate in Chemical Engineering from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), he holds a master’s degree from the University of Toronto and a doctorate in Development Economics from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, with a focus on industrialisation and technological change.
He was the first Nigerian professor in the field of Development Economics and Industrial Policy and previously served as a Professorial Fellow at the United Nations University Institute for New Technologies (UNU INTECH), now known as UNU MERIT in the Netherlands, where he continues to serve as a visiting professor.
A prolific author and globally respected thought leader, Professor Oyelaran Oyeyinka has published extensively on innovation systems, science policy, and sustainable development. He is widely regarded as one of Africa’s foremost voices on how technology and innovation can drive inclusive economic transformation.
In the letter conveying the appointments, Governor Makinde charged the new Governing Council members to discharge their duties with dedication and loyalty to the state, noting that their roles are pivotal to ongoing reforms in Oyo State’s education and health sectors.
The appointment is seen as part of the Makinde administration’s broader effort to strengthen public institutions, deepen good governance, and improve service delivery across key sectors in the state.
