June 15, (THEWILL) –Â Renowned professor of Dermatology, Venereology and Clinical Immunology, Femi Soyinka, is dead.
The former Provost of the College of Health Sciences of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, died on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at his home in Kukumada Village, Ibadan, Oyo State. He was 85 years.
He was the younger brother of Professor Wole Soyinka, the 1986 Nobel laureate in Literature.
A statement signed by Ayodele Soyinka, son of the deceased, on behalf of the family, said burial arrangements would be announced later.
Born in 1937, Professor Femi Soyinka obtained a Medical degree in Medicine and Surgery MBChB from the University of Heidelberg in 1964; and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the same University in 1965.
He specialised and practised as a Dermatologist, Venereologist and Allergologist at the University of Giessen, 1969.
In 1972, he obtained a Master of Public Health degree from Hadassah Medical School, (MPH) Israel.
Prof. Soyinka worked in the academic field for 30 years, holding various positions from Chief Medical Director, to Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Provost of College of Health Sciences of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
He was also involved in extensive research work on Tropical Skin Diseases and Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in collaboration with the Federal government, international donor agencies and organisations, such as the World Bank, UNDP, DFID, the British Council; and the International Development Research Centre, Canada.
Prof. Soyinka pioneered several researches in the field of HIV/AIDS and worked as a consultant to various international and local agencies including the World Health Organisation, DFID, UNDP and Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health, based on his extensive experience on the subject in various parts of the country.
He initiated the Ambassador of Hope program in Nigeria, encouraging people living with HIV/AIDs (PLWHAs) to speak up, thereby, bringing the much-needed public awareness to the disease at a time when knowledge was low and stigma was high.
Femi Soyinka is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
