Membership
1 October 1945 – 13 February 2024
By Abdul Rasak Akinola Alada, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan
“He was a born teacher and would go to a great extent to make his lectures simple and understandable for students. His love for teaching motivated him to write a textbook on physiology which is popular among students in Nigerian medical schools. He taught physiology at the University of Ibadan for 41 years.”
David Dada Oyewusi Oyebola
My path crossed with that of Professor David Dada Oyewusi Oyebola almost forty years ago when I was studying a MSc in Physiology at the University of Ibadan (Nigeria) in 1986. He was the Head of Department then, later I would also know him as my project supervisor. It did not take long for me to recognise that I shall be working with a very hard working person. He was preparing for his inaugural lecture, working on his presentation a year ahead of delivering it. This opportunity gave me a first-hand experience of what my working relationship with Professor Oyebola would be.
Professor Oyebola was a highly intelligent researcher and a great teacher. His intellectual prowess began to show from early age. He was both a State and University scholar based on his performance in the School certificate examination and University of Ibadan entrance examination. His best subject in secondary school was biology in which he got a national award. One is therefore not surprised that he decided to major in physiology at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where he achieved a first class honours degree studying an intercalated programme. He continued at University of Ibadan, completing a MBBS in 1973 and graduated with a MD in 1979.
A legendary educator
His love for teaching physiology was legendary. He was first appointed a demonstrator in physiology during his undergraduate clinical studentship. He was later appointed a Lecturer in Physiology in 1973 after qualifying as a medical doctor. He rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Physiology at the University of Ibadan in 1983. He was a born teacher and would go to a great extent to make his lectures simple and understandable for students. His love for teaching motivated him to write a textbook on physiology which is popular among students in Nigerian medical schools. He taught physiology at the University of Ibadan for 41 years and was a visiting professor to several universities at various points of his career.
A meticulous researcher and pioneer
As a researcher, he was thorough and extensive in his work. In 1977/1978 academic year, he was the recipient of a Development Fellowship awarded by the Inter University Council (London, UK), which involved a six-month clinical rotation at London hospitals, including Guy’s Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital, and King’s College Hospital. During the early 80s, he spent a one-year sabbatical at the Department of Physiology, University of Toronto Medical School, Canada, where he partnered with the great Professor John Grayson. Their research partnership resulted in a few outstanding publications, including their paper on catecholamines published in The Journal of Physiology and the effects of nicotine published in the British Journal of Pharmacology.
His other scientific publications include those on the role of extra-hepatic tissues in glucose homeostasis, comparative studies on the gastric secretions in different animal models, cardio-respiratory effects of nicotine and pioneering work on cow’s urine poisoning, where he proved that the traditional remedy, called cow’s urine concoction, used to treat seizures in Nigerian children, was toxic and could be fatal. He had over 120 publications in journal articles, books and book chapters. Notable among the books are: ‘Cow’s Urine poisoning in Nigeria’ and ‘Essential physiology for students of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and related disciplines’. He was very meticulous in experimental procedures, data analysis and paper writing. In the midst of this hard work, he would always crack witty jokes, especially in his local Ekiti dialect.
Founding member of the Physiological Society of Nigeria
Apart from teaching and research, Professor Oyebola served as Head of the Department of Physiology and Dean of Faculty at the University of Ibadan for many years. He also served as Pioneer Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. He was a member of many learned societies including the British Diabetic Association, London, Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (London, UK), The Physiological Society (London, UK), Canadian Physiological Society, and Nigeria Society of Immunology.
He was a founding member of the Physiological Society of Nigeria and served as the Pioneer Editor-in-Chief of the Society’s flagship journal, the Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences (1983 – 1986) and President of the society (1991 – 1994). He also served two terms as a member of the Council of International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS, 2001 – 2009). He was elected Fellow of Physiological Society of Nigeria (2010). He was also a Fellow of Nigerian Academy of Natural Medicine.
Professor Oyebola will be remembered as a dependable, hardworking, diligent, generous, and trustworthy man. He passed on to glory on 13 February 2024 after a brief illness. He is survived by his six children.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Victor Owoyele (FTPS) for inviting me to write this tribute to my mentor, Professor David Dada Oyewusi Oyebola.