Dr. Olusola Akinyele, a renowned mathematician, was born on May 11, 1944. He attended Ibadan Boys High School, Nigeria from 1958 to 1962. He was awarded scholarships to attend the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics in 1968 (Magna Cum Laude). He obtained his Ph.D. at the same University with another scholarship and graduated on June 26, 1971.

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After getting his Ph.D., he met and married his wife, Elizabeth Akinyele, and they were blessed with six children.

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He joined the Department of Mathematics at the University of Ibadan in 1971 as a Lecturer and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1978. From 1981 to 1982, he was a visiting Associate Professor at Iowa State University, USA. Afterward, he returned to the University of Ibadan and was promoted to full professor in 1983. He served as Warden of Tedder Hall, University of Ibadan, from 1977 to 1982. He served as the Dean of Science from 1988 to 1990, and as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Ibadan from 1990 to 1993.