Bamire Adebayo Simeon, the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, was born on January 18, 1959 in Oyan, Odo-Otin LGA, Osun State.
He began his education at Datus Preparatory School in Accra, Ghana, and completed his secondary education at St. Charles’ Grammar School in Osogbo in 1972/76. He was admitted to the then-University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) to study Agricultural Economics in the Faculty of Agriculture, where he earned his Bachelor of Agriculture in 1985, M.Phil. in 1992, and Ph.D. in 1999.
The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture jointly sponsored his PhD program (IITA). In 2001, his PhD thesis earned him the “National Universities Postgraduate Thesis Award.”
Prof. Bamire joined the Department of Agricultural Economics in 1992 as an Assistant Lecturer and was promoted to Professor in 2008. He was a Visiting Scientist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan; Vice-Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University in the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 academic sessions; Head of Department of Agricultural Economics for the 2010/2011 academic session; and the immediate past Dean of our great Faculty, the Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
During his tenure as Dean (1st August, 2013 – 31st July, 2015), he embarked on and completed laudable developmental projects in the Faculty through donations from his social capital network and his friendly demeanor toward Faculty members, Alumni, and friends of the Faculty. These projects include: reviving the Faculty water fountain, which has now become a magnet for film makers, dramatists, and photographers; modernizing the Faculty Committee Room; beautifying the Faculty and environment with flower gardens, park paint markings, and lightings; refurbishing toilets attached to the Faculty Committee Room, the Soil and Land Resources Management Department, the ground floor, and landscaping the frontal part of the Facu Prof. Bamire maintained an open door policy and has consistently demonstrated diligence, discipline, resourcefulness, dependability, and team spirit.
He has a good understanding and experience of best business practices that can contribute to system development, having served in various capacities on various committees and greatly aided in promoting academic and research programs in his Department, Faculty, and University as a whole. Prof. Bamire is computer literate and well-versed in the use of statistical and econometric tools.
Prof. Bamire Adebayo Simeon has also participated and continues to participate as Principal Investigator in various on-farm researches, as well as as Resource Person in training programs that have provided long-term interactions with farmers and non-farmers in their communities and business concerns. This is made possible by his long-standing collaboration with scientists at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Nigeria; ILRI/DfID (Addis Abeba, Ethiopia); HarvestPlus/IFPRI (Washington, DC., USA); International Wheat & Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico; Makerere University (Uganda); United Nations University Institute of Natural Resources (UNU-INRA), Accra, Ghana; and United Nations University World Institute
As a result, he has attended numerous national and international conferences and workshops on biodiversity and sustainable agricultural development, as well as participated in collaborative studies on sustainable agricultural production involving researchers from various disciplines. Prof. Bamire has participated in and written various technical reports on practical work experiences in agricultural business and development in Nigeria and other developing countries. He also has over fifty publications in local and international journals, the majority of which are based on field experiences on resource development and institutional support for smallholder farmers in rural and urban areas for improved food security and poverty reduction.
Prof. Bamire belongs to several professional organizations, including the Nigerian Association of Agricultural Economists (NAAE) and Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD). He also works with the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Project and Agribenchmark, both of which are based in Germany.
He belongs to the CONUA OAU.
Prof. Bamire is happily married to Dr. (Mrs.) Felicia Bosede Bamire, with whom he has two children.
11 Facts About the Vice-Chancellor of OAU
1. He was the previous Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics.
2. Bamire, Adebayo Simeon, was born on January 18, 1959, in Oyan, Odo-Otin Local Government Area, Osun State.
3. He finished primary school at St. Clares’ Nursery/Primary School in Osogbo, Nigeria, and secondary school at St. Charles’ Grammar School in Osogbo. He was accepted into the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) to study Agricultural Economics. He earned his Bachelor of Agriculture in 1985, M.Phil. in 1992, and Ph.D. in 1999 from the Department of Agricultural Economics at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. In 2001, his PhD thesis received the “National Universities Postgraduate Thesis Award.”
4. He is currently employed as a Lecturer/Professor in the same Department. Prof. Bamire has also received numerous awards for his contributions to the advancement of education.
5. He has received numerous awards, including the Award of Excellence for Contribution to the Growth and Development of the Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; the Award of Excellence for Exemplary Leadership and Outstanding Contributions to the Development of the Faculty of Agriculture, OAU, Ife; and the Ambassador Award by the Great Ife Alumni Association, Home Branch in recognition of priceless contributions to the development of Nigeria’s educational sector.
6. He has a good understanding and experience of best business practices that can contribute to development, having served in various capacities on various committees and greatly aided in promoting academic and research programs in his Department, Faculty, and University as a whole. Prof. Bamire is computer literate and well-versed in the use of statistical and econometric tools for data analysis such as SPSS, LIMDEP, and STATA.
7. Prof. Bamire is an astute researcher who has participated and continues to participate in various on-farm research and training programs that have provided long-term interactions with farmers and nonfarmers in their communities and business concerns. This is made possible by his long-standing collaboration with scientists from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), ILRI/DfID, HarvestPlus/IFPRI, the International Wheat and Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Makerere University, the United Nations University Institute of Natural Resources (UNU-INRA), the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), AERC, and the University for Cooperative Development (UADC), among others.
8. He has over seventy publications in local and international journals, the majority of which are based on field experiences on resource development and institutional support for smallholder farmers in rural and urban areas for improved food security and poverty reduction – global concerns.
9. Professor Bamire is a member of the Stress Tolerant Maize for Africa Project’s socioeconomic group, a member of Agribenchmark based in Germany, and an Associate Senior Evaluation Fellow at the International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED). He is also a member of the African Crop Science Society (ACSS), Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD), and the Nigerian Association of Agricultural Economists (NAAE). During the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 academic years, he was a Visiting Scientist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Vice-Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University. For the 2010/2011 academic year, he was Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, and for the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 academic years, he was Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture.
10. He is happily married to Dr. Felicia Bosede Bamire and has three children (Oluwatobi, Tolulope, Temitope and Timilehin).
11. He is Obafemi Awolowo University’s 12th Vice-Chancellor.