Professor Akindele Osiyale, ICMA, was born on October 21, 1935 at Ijebu Imusin. After he completed his primary education and earned his First School Leaving Certificate, he attended Molusi College, Ijebu-Igbo, from 1949 to 1953, where he obtained the West African School Certificate. He later attended Nigeria College of Arts, Science and Technology, Ibadan, from 1954 to 1956. Between 1956 and 1959, he studied at the University College, Ibadan (now University of Ibadan), graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics in 1959. He was awarded a PGCE (London) at the end of his Postgraduate GCE studies in 1960. Later in 1966, he completed his Postgraduate degree course to obtain a Master of Science Degree. He then proceeded for his Doctorate at the Institute of Education, University of London, where he earned his PhD degree in 1974.
He taught briefly at Ijebu Ode Grammar School (1956) and was appointed Science Master of the school in 1959 before joining the University of Lagos in July 1966. He was Lecturer II in the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos in July 1966, and was promoted to Lecturer I in October 1970. He became a Senior Lecturer in 1974, an Associate Professor in 1979, and a Professor of Curriculum Studies in March 1983. While serving in the university, he held a number of administrative posts which included Head of the Department of Curriculum Studies (1978-1980); Dean of the Faculty of Education (1983-1987); and Chairman of Housing Unit and Committee. He also supervised studies and researches of 18 M.Ed./PhD students.
Aside from teaching in secondary schools and tertiary institutions, he has had work experience as Associate to Educational Services Incorporated (E.S.I.) in Watertown, Massachusetts, USA (Feb. 1966 – June 1966); Secondment to Federal Ministry of Education, Lagos, to act as Executive Secretary of Nigeria Educational Research Council (Aug. 1966–June 1967); Nigeria’s Co-ordinator of the E.S.I-sponsored Africa Primary Science Programme (1967-1971), during which time he directed the Lagos projects for preparing a cadre of science curriculum development personnel; Director/Consultant/Head, Department of Planning, Research and Statistics of the National Primary Education Commission, Kaduna (1st October 1989 – 30th Sept. 1990); and Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Education, Federal Ministry of Education and Youth Development (1991-1992).
He was a recipient of many academic, professional, traditional and community recognitions awards, prominent among which are Fellow of Science Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (1983), Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Education (1993), President of the Nigerian Academy of Education (2000-2004), Otunba Obagbuwa of Ijebu Imusin (1991), Ijebu Imusin Merit Award (1999); Secretary-General, the Nigeria Academy of Education (1989-1991); Chairman, Advisory Council on Education, Ogun State (1986-1989); and Chairman, Ijebu Imusin Development Council on Education Committee for Establishing Ijebu Imusin Comprehensive High School (1977-1980). He was 1st Vice-President, the Nigeria Academy of Education (1997-2000); Chairman, World Bank Assisted Federal Government Delegation on Low Cost Book Production to India, Philippines and Thailand (May-June 1992); Member, Governing Board of the NERD (1990-1994); Member, Governing Council of National Teachers’ Institute (N.T.I), Kaduna (1990-1994); Chairman, Advisory Council on Education, Ogun State (1986-1989); Chairman, Lagos State Education Review Committee (Feb –March 1984); Visiting Scholar to the Curriculum Department, Ontario, Canada (January – November 1981).
Outside public employment, Prof. A.O Osiyale was Honorary Chairman, Ijebu Imusin Development Council Education Committee for establishing a community secondary school (1977-1980); President of Rotary Club of Akoka (1988-1989 and Honorary Director of Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBT) from 1980 to 1983.
From 1966 to 2014, he has 43 publications. His research interests have been in two areas – (i) Incidence of using Local Environment to Enrich Science Learning and Teaching; and (ii) Small Rural School. Prof. Osiyale is happily married to Adesola, a princess from Ijebu Imusin, and they have four children.
