Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology
College of Health Sciences
University of Ilorin
Ilorin, Kwara State
Nigeria
Email: drokesina@yahoo.com

Professor Okesina graduated with MBBS degree from the University of Lagos in 1980. He held a clinical attachment at the Institute of Neurology Queens Square London and East Surrey Hospital between 1987 and 1988. He became Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPGMCN) in 1988 and of the West African College of Physicians (WACP) in Chemical Pathology in 1989. From 1991 to 1993, he was a Commonwealth Medical Research Fellow in Clinical Endocrinology at Hammersmith Hospital and Royal Postgraduate Medical College in London. He was appointed Lecturer 1 at the University of Ilorin in 1989, Reader in 1994 and full Professor in 2000. He was appointed Consultant Chemical Pathology Unilorin Teaching Hospital in 1989. He was visiting lecturer to University of Transkei (Walter Sisulu University) in South Africa between 1997 and 2000. Professor Okesina was former Vice-Chancellor, Osun State University Nigeria and Former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the same University. At the University of Ilorin, he was Former Dean of Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences.

Prof. Okesina has been involved with the annual revision and update courses of NPGMCN and WACP since 1993. He was Member of the Faculty Board of Pathology from 1993 to 1997 and Member of the Senate, NPGMCN from 2007 to 2011. He was Chairman, Faculty of Pathology of WACP from 2007 to 2011 and Chief Examiner for Faculty of Pathology, WACP from 2011 to 2013. He has been examining in the NPGMCN and WACP since 1993.

Prof. Okesina has served as external examiner to many Universities in Nigeria and Africa, including, Universities of Lagos, Ibadan, Jos, Ahmadu Bello, OAU Ife, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Cape Peninsula South Africa, Nairobi Kenya and Ghana. He is also a member of the accreditation team that visited the University of Ghana Teaching Hospital, University of Gambia Queens Hospital and many Universities and Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria.

Prof. Okesina has won several academics distinctions and scholarships, including the Oyo State Merit Scholarship Award and the Commonwealth Medical Fellowship, which he spent in Britain as a Medical Research Fellow. In 1980 he was award National Honour by the Nigeran Government post National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and  IFCC bursary award as a young scientist in 1996. He has over 85 publications in peer-review journals. His research interest is in diabetes mellitus and chronic non-communicable diseases. He has trained one PhD and more than 16 medical doctors to become specialists in Chemical Pathology out of which six have become Professors.

Prof. Okesina was the National President of Association of Clinical Chemists of Nigeria 2007 to 2016 and the President of the African Federation of Clinical Chemistry (AFCC) from January 2013 to December 2017. He was appointed Foundation Fellow of the College of Pathology of East Central and South Africa (COPECSA) in 2014. He was once the National Vice President of Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN).

Prof. Okesina is a charter member (in 1986) of Ilorin Central Lions, he was Lions District 404 Zone 6 chairperson in 1995/96 and had received many National and International Awards for services to the community. He is happily married with children and 2 grandchildren.