Professor Oyewale Tomori was born on the 3rd of February 1946 in Ilesha, Osun State, (Western) Nigeria and had his primary education in the same town. His secondary education was at Government College, Ughelli, (Eastern) Nigeria, whilst his university education was at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, (Northern) Nigeria, where he graduated with a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 1971.
Professor Oyewale Tomori came to Ibadan immediately after graduating and took up a position as a Research Fellow in Virology, and began what was to be an exemplary academic career. On the basis of his significant contributions to the understanding of viral diseases and epidemics, he was appointed a Consultant Virologist to the University College Hospital, Ibadan in 1976. He obtained his Certificate in Immunology and his PhD from the University of Ibadan in 1972 and 1976 respectively and was promoted to full Professorship of Virology in 1981. Professor Tomori was admitted to the Membership of the Royal College of Pathologists of the United Kingdom in 1981, and the Fellowship of the same body in 1992. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science and a foundation Fellow of the Nigerian College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Professor Tomori was the Head of the Department of Virology, University of Ibadan and Director, WHO Center for Arbovirus Reference and Research from 1984 to 1991. Thereafter, he was appointed Director of the then Postgraduate Institute for Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. At the time of this lecture he was the World Health Organization Regional Virologist for Africa, a post he has held since 1994. He retired from the University of Ibadan in 1997 after 26 years of meritorious service.
Professor Tomori's major areas of scientific and academic interest include; basic and applied research on anthropod transmitted viruses, viral hemorrhagic fevers and enteroviruses. He has published over 150 papers, books, and monographs, and has supervised more than 30 postgraduate students at the M.Sc/PhD levels in medicine, veterinary medicine and the biological sciences. As the World Health Organization Regional Virologist for Africa, he was responsible for the development, establishment and maintenance of the Africa regional network of virology laboratories that currently provide diagnostic support for the global polio eradication initiative. A first class scientist and dedicated teacher, Professor Tomori is highly regarded by his students, and by his academic colleagues, both in his specialty and in the science community worldwide. Accordingly, Professor Tomori is the recipient of numerous national and international research grants, prizes, honors and awards, significant amongst which are the Certificate Award of Merit by the Public Health Department of the United States and the highest Nigerian national academic award, the Nigerian National Order of Merit.
Professor Tomori also has admirable credentials as a public speaker and commentator, and is most sought after in this regard. To date, he has given over 25 guest lectures and has written on various social and science-related topics of public interest in the public print media. He is currently the Vice-Chancellor of The Redeemer’s University, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. He is happily married and is blessed with 5 children.