Engr. Olusegun Ayodeji Temitayo Mafe is a scion of the renowned and well-known Mafe Family of Imuwen, Ijebu-Imusin, Ogun State. Engr. Mafe was born at the General Hospital, Ijebu Ode, on Sunday, 2nd April, 1950 to Pa Abel Boyejo Mafe and Mrs. Janet Amoko Mafe (neé Amarvi-Hunlede).
His father, Pa Abel Boyejo Mafe (born in Imuwen in 1909), was an outstanding and prominent scion of the Mafe Family who was well-known in Ijebu-Imusin and across the country. He worked as a Senior Civil Servant in the then British Colonial Service and retired as Senior Health Superintendent in 1968. Engr. Mafe’s paternal grandfather, Baale Abraham Mafe, was the Baale of Imuwen as well as the Baba Ijo of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Imuwen, from 1937 to 1959. His mother hailed from the Odukoya Family of Odonopa, Ijebu-Imusin. Engr. Mafe’s paternal grandmother, Madam Adenoiki Mafe, hailed from Itele and Iwaya, Ijebu-Imusin.
His mother, Mrs. Janet Amoko, was born in Lagos in 1918 into the distinguished Hunlede Family of Aneho of Togo. Her father, Pa Aniglo Amarvi, though an immigrant, was a very influential personality in Lagos of the early 20th century. Following in the footsteps of his father, Pa Abel Boyejo Mafe, who brought his children home to be part of the annual ‘Odun Omolumuwen’ celebrations, Engr. Mafe pioneered and coordinated the Mafe Family Reunion from 2006 to 2014.
Engr. Mafe attended Christ Church (Porogun) School, Ijebu Ode, from 1956 to 1961 for his primary education, and proceeded to Loyola College, Ibadan, from 1962 to 1966, where he passed out with Grade One in the West African School Certificate Examinations (WASCE), First Division. He then gained admission into the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) to study Biochemistry. He graduated in 1972 with a Second Class (Upper Division) Honours degree. He obtained a Postgraduate Diploma and Master of Science degree in Biochemical Engineering from the University College London and University of London respectively in 1977. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and a proficiency certificate in French (Certificate D’aptitude en Francais) from the University of Lagos, each of which was awarded in 1991 and 1992.
He started out in his career as a lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Lagos, serving from 1978 to 1980. During this time, he was actively involved in the organisation of and supervision of the Students’ Industrial Work-Experience Scheme (SIWES) for undergraduates in the department. Before coming to the University of Lagos, Engr. Mafe worked as a Production Manager with the then Lever Brothers (renamed Unilever Nig. Plc.) between 1972 and 1975. While there, he had participated in the training and supervision of the first sets of students to embark on SIWES in the industry when the scheme was established by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in 1973.
He was appointed Director, Central Industrial Liaison and Placement Unit (CILPU) of the University of Lagos, and had the responsibility for the training of science, engineering and technology students of the institution until he voluntarily retired from the University service in 2010. Before his retirement, he served the University of Lagos as Vice President, University of Lagos Senior Staff Club (1982 to 1983); Representative of Congregation on Housing Committee (1982 to 1984); Chairman, Camp, ‘Camp 99’, University of Lagos Staff School Holiday Camp (1999); and Chairman, Graduation Ceremony, Staff School, University of Lagos in 2003.
He was the moderator of the weekly current affairs programs ‘Common Concern’, Radio Lagos in 1980, and ‘Focus’, Ogun Radio in 1981. He pioneered large-scale commercial agricultural entrepreneurship in Ehin-Ade, Ijebu-Imusin, and has been an employer of labour since 1985. He was a Member, (representing public interest), the Lagos State Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors Licensing Authority, Lagos State Ministry of Health, from 1991 to 1999.
Engr. Mafe has several professional/regulatory affiliations, including being a Member, of Nigeria Society of Chemical Engineers; Member, Nigerian Society of Engineers; a Registered Engineer, of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN); a Member, of the Nigerian Institute of Management; Member, Nigerian Institute for Training and Development; and an Accredited Registered Trainer, Nigerian Council for Management Development (NCMD).
He is Member, Ogun State Chapters of the Organised Private Sector (OPS), and also a member of the All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN). He is Member, Catfish Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (CFAN); Member, Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and agriculture (Ijebu CCIMA) and Member, Governing Council, Ijebu Professional Excellence Foundation (IPEF).
He was Chairman, ‘Ikokore Night’ at the 2005 Ijebu-Imusin Annual Rally. He is an active member of Imuwen Development Council, Imuwen Town Hall Building Committee, and St. Andrew’s Primary School, Imuwen, Rehabilitation Committee, as well as a member of Ijebu-Ode Club. He is currently a member of the University of Lagos Senior Staff Club. During his Undergraduate Leadership Experience at the University of Ife, Engr. Mafe served as Social Secretary, Elite Club, University of Ife, from 1971 to 1972.
Engr. Mafe has participated at many national and international fora, including as Participant, UNECA-Sponsored African Regional Conference of the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (September 1982); Organiser /Resource Person, IAESTE – Nigeria Conference, University of Lagos (1983); Participant, IAESTE Conference, Vienna, Austria (January 1983); Resource Person, ‘First National Workshop on University SIWES for SIWES Coordinators’, National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja (November 1997)’ Guest Speaker at the Symposium on ‘Significance of Industrial Training to the Engineer Today and Tomorrow’, University of Lagos Engineering Society (June 1997); and Participant, Annual General Meeting and Annual Conferences of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE) since 1980.
He has published many papers in the areas of industrial training, engineering manpower development, engineering education and training, as well as techno-entrepreneurship in local and international journals and conference proceedings. He has also co-edited a book chapter: ‘The Imperative for Cross-Border Engineering Practice in Emerging Regional Economic Communities in Africa in Boundaries, Borderlands and Regional Processes: State of Knowledge and Research Agenda for Africa’ (2008, co-edited with R. T. Akinyele). He is the author of the seminal book, ‘Guide to Successful Participation in SIWES’ (Panaf Publishing Inc. Abuja and Lagos, 2009).
Engr. Mafe has been recognized for his work and experience by peers, and as a result, he has been invited to speak at numerous local and international workshops and seminars, during which he presented papers, particularly in the area of industrial training. He is the recipient of the Certificate of Merit, Students’ Union, University of Ife (1971/1972) in recognition of his work during the Undergraduate Leadership Experience.
Engr. Mafe is a sports enthusiast. In addition to his numerous other engagements at the University of Ife, he was Secretary of, the Basketball Club from 1967 to 1971; a Member of the university Baseball Team from 1967 to 1972; and was the Coach of the Female Basketball Team from 1969 to 1971. He is married to Dr. (Mrs.) Margaret Mafe, a Medical Parasitologist, and the marriage is blessed with three children.
