Prof. Ayo Banjo, UI’s longest-serving VC is dead
Prof. Ayo Banjo
Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga
Prof. Ayo Banjo, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (U.I.) has died at the age of 90.
Banjo, an Emeritus Professor of English, was the longest-serving vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan.
He was vice chancellor of I.U. between 1984 and 1991.
Banjo was said to have died early Friday, 24 May. He had earlier celebrated his 90th birthday on 2 May, 2024.
Born on 2 May 1934 Banjo was an educational administrator, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria as well as former pro-chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University.
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The Emeritus Professor attended St. Andrews Anglican primary school and Christ Cathedral primary school in Lagos state, Nigeria.
He attended Igbobi College in Lagos State, Nigeria 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. He later obtained a Doctorate degree (Ph.D) 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, Nigeria.
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 as 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.
