Ex-PSN President, Prof. Ogunlana Dies At 87

Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has announced the death of Prof. Ebenezer Olanrewaju Ogunlana, FPSN, FPCPharm., a former president of the PSN, at the age of 87 years.

According to a statement from the PSN signed by its President, Prof. Cyril Usifoh, the late Prof. Ogunlana joined the staff of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ife (now, Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife.

As one of the pillars of the premier Faculty of Pharmacy in sub-Saharan Africa, Ogunlana

rose to become the Head of Department (HOD) of the Pharmaceutics Department and was a two-time Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ife (now OAU), Ile-Ife.

Ogunlana was also a one-time Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Ife before he finally bowed out of the academic walls in 1987.

Prof. ‘Lanre Ogunlana, a distinguished Pharmacist and Scientist was also a one-time president of the erstwhile West African Pharmaceutical Federation which was a strategic template of National Pharmacy Organisations of Anglophone West African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra -Leone, Gambia, and Liberia.

In 1977, when the Fellowship of the PSN was in relative infancy, Ogunlana was one of the seven elected Fellows of the PSN.

Similarly, Prof. Ogunlana emerged as the 13th president of the PSN in 1994 at the Annual General Meeting of the PSN.

In this capacity, he left indelible marks that positioned him to be elected to lead the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria in the year 2000.

He remains the first and only Pharmacist who led this great template of Professionals in Nigeria.

Olarenwaju Ogunlana was very active in his favorite church, Methodist of Trinity, Tinubu, Lagos.

He was a choirmaster and knight of Charles Wesley (KWC) in church.

A fellow of the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria, he was also a traditional chief from the source in his capacity as the Fiwajoye of Ile Ife, the cradle of the Yorubas.

Prof. Ogunlana holds the National honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) and was one of the pioneer Fellows of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists in 1993 (FWAPCP).

His numerous works, research, and publications bear eloquent testimonies of why he left footprints on the sands of time.

Prof Ogunlana was the 3rd recipient of the Andre Bedat Award of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) for a practitioner who has made significant contributions to Pharmacy at the international level.

Ogunlana, who was a consultant to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNIDO was appointed Professor of Pharmaceutics in January 1976 at UNIFE

He co-authored several books on drug analysis, medicinal chemistry, and Pharmacy.

He founded and was MD, of Lanpharm Laboratories Ltd., Lagos.

He was married to Aderemi, his one and only for over 50 years in a marriage that produced children and several grandchildren.