I REMEMBER, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF LADIPO ADAMOLEKUN

The maiden presentation of I REMEMBER, an autobiography by Prof. Ladipo Adamolekun, a veteran scholar in the field of Public Administration, took place yesterday Thursday 12th May 2016, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Hall, Victoria Island, Lagos. I REMEMBER, chronicles Adamolekun’s rise from a humble background to a distinguished career in academia and public service.

 He pulls back the curtains on the riveting recollections of his beautiful family heritage; his transition as a young promising lad with a passion for reading to a fulfilled adult who, through his doggedness and sheer dint of hard work, blazed the trail as a student at the University of Ibadan, University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and Oxford University and reached the pinnacle of success in his careers – teaching at Ife, which peaked at a professorship at age thirty-six (36), and public Administration consultancy to several Pan-African and international bodies.

 This book is in six parts, covering his early years; his educational maturation at Ibadan, Ife and Oxford; his “Ife Years” devoted to teaching, research and academic administration, as well as several national and international engagements; his “World Bank Years” of multidimensional development work; and his activities in retirement as an “Independent Scholar”. He closes with “A Note for the Millennials: Nigeria and I”  - an overview of what he experienced in respect of three fond memories of his early years that are missing in his early old age: educational excellence, meritocracy and strong institutions.

 According to Anthony Akinola, an Oxford-based Nigerian public intellectual, “Professor Adamolekun’s autobiography has some messages for all of us.  His parental upbringing has a message for parents generally; his exploits as a student at school and university have a strong message for students.  Of course, his experiences as an accomplished academic at various universities (University of Ife, in particular), and as a leading professional at the World Bank, should provide useful guidance to those who seek to operate at the highest level of professional calls. A book that serves as a role model for generations, it is with great enthusiasm and a sense of professional honesty, that I recommend ‘I REMEMBER’ to individuals and libraries worldwide.”

 Professor Ladipo Adamolekun has won many honours and distinctions within and outside the country, including the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) award – the “highest national prize for academic and intellectual attainment” - conferred on him in December 2005. The second public presentation took place in Abuja on Tuesday May 17th, at Auditorium 1, Merit House, 22 Aguiyi-Ironsi Street, Maitama,