Prof O.T Adebayo Bags Academic Excellence and Agricultural Innovation Icon Award
Preparations are underway for the 2026 Excellence in Agribusiness Lecture and Award Programme, organized by D Chronicle Media Ventures, where renowned scholar and agricultural expert, Professor Olabode Thomas Adebayo, will receive the Academic Excellence and Agricultural Innovation Icon of the Year Award.
The event is scheduled to hold on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the OSDPC Multipurpose Event Hall, Ijapo Estate, Akure, beginning at 2:00 p.m. The programme is themed, “Unlocking the Agricultural Tax Potentials: Strategies for Enhancing Ondo State IGR,” and will focus on exploring innovative ways the agricultural sector can contribute to the state’s economic growth and internally generated revenue.
The lecture will be delivered by Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, Honourable Commissioner for Education, Ondo State, while Hon. (Engr.) Leye Akinola, Honourable Commissioner for Forestry, Ondo State, will chair the event. The Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is expected as the Special Guest of Honour.
Professor Adebayo’s recognition reflects decades of outstanding contributions to teaching, research, innovation, and manpower development in Nigeria’s agricultural sector. Widely respected in academic and professional circles, he has dedicated his career to advancing fisheries and aquaculture education while promoting research-driven solutions that support food security and sustainable agricultural development.
Since joining the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in 1997, Professor Adebayo has risen through the ranks to become one of Nigeria’s leading authorities in Fisheries and Aquaculture. Through his teaching and mentorship, he has trained hundreds of students, including numerous master’s and doctoral graduates who now occupy strategic positions in academia, government, and industry.
With over 100 scholarly publications to his credit, Professor Adebayo has consistently championed practical research aimed at improving fish production, aquaculture management, and sustainable food systems. Beyond academia, he is also a practicing farmer who has demonstrated the importance of translating research findings into practical solutions that enhance food production and livelihoods.
His distinguished career has earned him several scholarships, fellowships, research grants, and international training opportunities from organizations such as UNESCO, TETFund, CTA Netherlands, MASHAV Israel, and the World Aquaculture Society. He is a Fellow of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria and the African Scientific Institute, and remains an active member of several professional bodies.
Professor Adebayo has also provided leadership within FUTA and the wider agricultural community, serving in key academic and administrative positions, including Head of Department and Dean of the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology. His expertise has been sought by government agencies and agricultural development programmes, where he has contributed to policy development, capacity building, and agricultural extension services.
According to the organisers, the award recognises Professor Adebayo’s exceptional commitment to academic excellence, innovative research, human capital development, and his enduring contributions to agricultural advancement in Ondo State and Nigeria.
As stakeholders, policymakers, researchers, farmers, and agribusiness leaders gather in Akure for the 2026 Excellence in Agribusiness Lecture and Award Programme, Professor Adebayo’s honour will stand as a fitting tribute to a distinguished scholar whose work continues to shape the future of agriculture and inspire a new generation of agricultural professionals.
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