Banjo, Professor, James Olanrewaju Sunday James Olanrewaju Sunday BANJO, a scholar and accomplished teacher, farmer educator, agricultural and public administrator, builder of entrepreneurs, author, consultant, community leader and Professor of Vocational Agricultural Education was born in the very
early sixties at Iwasi, Ijebu-Imusin. The young James Olanrewaju Sunday started his elementary education at Local Authority Primary School, Igbaga, Ijebu-Imusin in the mid-sixties and completed the primary school education at African Church Primary School, Apata Ganga, Ibadan before proceeding to Government College Ibadan, old western state (now Oyo State) in the seventies where he wrote and passed the West African School Certificate Examination. The interest in becoming a trained teacher made him to later spend one year at Methodist Teachers College, Sagamu, Ogun State between 1980 and 1981 where he was awarded Teachers’ Grade II certificate. He is an alumnus of Trans-World College, New-Jersey, Britain where he bagged a Diploma in Tropical Agriculture. He also has Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) Agricultural Science from Federal College of Education, Obudu, Cross River State. He is also a bachelor’s degree holder in Education and Agricultural Science from the University of Calabar. He bagged his Masters’ degree with the aid of Federal Government Technical Teacher Training Programme (TTTP) scholarship at the famous University of Nigeria, Nsukka in the year 2001, where he also enrolled and completed his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Vocational Agricultural Education in the year 2006. Professor Banjo currently lectures in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension at the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State following a long sojourn as classroom teacher in both primary and secondary schools since 1979 at St. Augustine primary school, Ijebu-Ode. He taught in four secondary schools, across Ogun State between 1981 and 2006. The schools include St. Anthonys Grammar School, Esure, Ijebu-Imusin between 1981-1984; Ibiade Community High School, Ibiade, Ijebu East LGA, (now Ogun waterside
LGA) from 1986 and 2002; Owode Ketu Community High School, Owode-Ketu, Yewa North LGA, 2002-2004 and Imagbon/Imaka Comprehensive High School, Imagbon, Odogbolu LGA, 2004-2006. He rose to the status of Principal II in the Teaching Service Commission of Ogun State before transferring his service to the ivory tower in 2006 following the establishment of Tai Solarin University of Education, the first university of education in Nigeria, in 2005. Professor Banjo’s research interests include Cooperative Vocational Agricultural Education, Entrepreneurship, Livelihoods development and administration, Curriculum development and dynamics of pedagogy in Agriculture. He is a member of the university senate and has held several administrative positions in the university. He was a former member, Board of studies, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Vocational Studies (CENVOS) 2019-2023; Director, Institute of Vocational Training and Research in Agriculture (IVOTRA), 2010-2014. As the Director of IVOTRA, the center focused on training of out-of-school youth and retirees in various agricultural skills towards self-reliance and self-sufficiency. He was an Elected Congregation representative, University Trust Foundation, 2006-2008. The foundation also sourced funds and was able to contribute to the development of the University in structures and information communications technology (ICT). He was appointed Assistant Coordinator, Pre-Degree and Degree Foundation Unit, 2007-2010; Elected Congregation representative on the committee for staff ethics and discipline, 2014-2016; He also served as the head of the department of agricultural science education, between 2020 and 2023. He is a consultant to United Nations on livelihoods development and administration in Nigeria. He was able to facilitate the training and
empowerment of over 10,000 refugee returnees and internally displaced persons of concern within the period of his consultancy in Northeastern Nigeria despite the volatile nature of the environment. Professor James O. S. Banjo is widely traveled and has also attended and facilitated many seminars, workshops, and symposia within and outside the country where he has presented scholarly papers. This includes the high-powered workshop on the Development and Administration of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises facilitated by CICED, India. Aside being a member of many professional organizations, he has over 90 publications in both local and international journals to his credit out of which are 15 high school books published by high profile publishing houses in Nigeria. He also has chapter contributions in 11 tertiary texts. Since the inception of the university, Professor Banjo has supervised more than 200 undergraduate projects, 30 masters’ dissertations and 6 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) candidates. He is a visiting Professor and examiner to Lagos state university of education, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi and Ekiti State University, Ekiti in Nigeria.
He is a member, the Board of trustees of the Association of small-scale agro producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN) where he has been contributing immensely to the efforts of thinking positively for small-scale farmers for food availability, affordability, and security in Nigeria. He is also the Lord Mayor, the Highlanders Club of Nigeria; Member, Pacesetters Club of IjebuImusin, founded 1988; Member, of Ijebu-Imusin club; Member, of Ijebu-ode club, founded 1921 and also member and the Oluomo, Egbe Bobagunte Okunrin (Asiwaju) Akile Ijebu. James is a member of many academic and professional associations which include; the Agricultural Education Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (AETAN), Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), Nigeria Educational Research Association (NERA); Nigeria Association of Teachers of Technology (NATT); Nigeria Vocational Association; League of Researchers of Nigeria (LORON); Farm Management Association of Nigeria; National Association of Rural Sociologists; Worldwide Organization of Organic Farmers (WOOF), and Children and Youth in Agriculture Programme (CYIAP). Professor James Banjo has also served the government of Nigeria and Ogun State in various capacities which include, including member, the Regional Planning Curriculum Committee for Ogun State in Agricultural Science; Independent National Election Committee (INEC) Returning officer during the 2011 general elections at Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, Abeokuta and Trainer of Teachers for Universal Basic Education in Ogun State till date
Professor James O S Banjo is a recipient many awards which include but not limited to Teacher of Teachers award by the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission, Abigi, Ogun waterside LGA; Justice Development and Peace Commission award as Ambassador; Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Planning in Nigeria; and Award of ‘Baba Omoluwabi’ by the Catholic Men Organization of Nigeria, Ijebu ode Catholic Diocese. James is of the Catholic faith and the former President, the Catholic Men Organization of Nigeria (CMON), Diocese of Ijebu-ode, and the current Vice President of Lagos Province of Nigeria. He is happily married to Margaret, a retired community development practitioner of the same Catholic faith and both are proud grandparents. To the glory of God, James, and Margaret are Jerusalem pilgrims and the proud recipients of Otunba Oluomo and Yeye Oluomo of the Ilodo kingdom, Ijebu Imusin.
