Femi Soyinka, a brother to the Professor of Nobel laureate and professor of Comparative Literature, Wole Soyinka, has died.
The former director of the College of Health Sciences of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Femi Soyinka died on Tuesday at the age of 85.
According to a statement by his family, signed by his son, Ayodele, Femi Soyinka died in the early hours of Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at his home in Kukumada Village, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Femi Soyinka, who received a medical degree in Medicine and Surgery MBChB from the University of Heidelberg in 1964, worked in the academia for 30 years, holding various positions from Chief Medical Director to Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the director of the College of Health Sciences of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
“In 1972, he obtained a Master of Public Health degree from Hadassah Medical School, (MPH) Israel.
“He 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 director 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 organizations such as the World Bank, UNDP, DFID, the British Council; and the International Development Research Centre, Canada.
“He pioneered several types of research in the field of HIV/AIDS and worked as a consultant to various international and local agencies including the World Health Organization, DFID, UNDP and Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health based on his extensive experience in the subject in various parts of the country.
“Prof. Femi Soyinka was at the forefront of mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. By translating the outcomes of his research into clinical practice, he impacted significantly, not only the lives of numerous individuals and families living with the disease but also the nation as a whole.
“He initiated the Ambassador of Hope programme 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. He also demonstrated technical knowledge and was involved with many other HIV/AIDs-related programmes including HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, ARV programmes, voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and home-based care for PLWHAs in Nigeria.
“Subsequently, he contributed significantly to capacity building of indigenous organisations across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria through his non-governmental organisation – New Initiative for the Enhancement of Life and Health (NELAH), previously known as; Network on Ethics/Human Rights, Law, HIV/AIDS-Prevention, Support and Care (NELA). He was a past president of the Society for AIDS in Africa and he successfully coordinated the International Conference on AIDS and STIs In Africa (ICASA) in Abuja, Nigeria in the year 2005.
“He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“Burial arrangements would be announced by the family later.”
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