I Remember chronicles the captivating life of Professor Ladipo Adamolekun, and his rise from a humble background to a distinguished career in academia and public service. He lovingly recounts his childhood and credits his strong educational foundation, which culminated in a scholarship at Oxford University, as the driving force behind his commitment to learning and service. With consummate skill, he recaps an eventful life involving teaching and research at Ife, several national public service engagements, and multi-dimensional development work at the World Bank. The narrative clearly highlights virtues such as hard work, courage, selflessness and integrity which the author exhibits as well as the indelible marks which he has made in his discipline and the society at large. This book is not only a vivid tale of one man's life, but is also an instructive read for everyone, particularly stakeholders in Nigeria's university system and public service, and people who would like to achieve great success in their life pursuits.
About the Author: Professor Adamolekun was born in Iju, Akure North, Ondo State, Nigeria. He had his secondary school education at Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure and Christ's School, Ado Ekiti. He earned a first class degree in French at the University of Ibadan, a Master's degree in Public Administration at Ife and a doctoral degree in Politics at the University of Oxford. He is an Independent Scholar and is based in his hometown. He taught at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria for about two decades and served a stint as the Dean of the Faculty of Administration. Then, for about eighteen years, he held senior appointments with the World Bank in Washington, D.C. His other work experience includes stints as a visiting Professor in the University of Bordeaux, France and University of California, Los Angeles, USA. Professor Adamolekun has served on many Nigerian federal and state governments' committees, councils and boards dealing with issues in the field of public affairs. At the International level, he has been involved in providing analytical and advisory services focused on governance and public sector management for some African and international organizations including the African Development Bank, the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development. He is the author or co-author of over thirty books and monographs and numerous journal articles and contributions to books on politics and public administration in Africa. His books include Sekou Toure's Guinea (1976), Politics and Administration in Nigeria (1986), and Public Administration in Africa: Main Issues and Selected Country Studies (1999, 2nd edition, 2011). He has won many honours and distinctions in Nigeria and overseas including: College Scholar at the University of Ibadan; Rockefeller Scholar at the University of Oxford; Fulbright Scholar in the USA (1982-1983), Rockefeller Scholar in Residence, Bellagio Study Centre, Italy (1983) and Vice-President, International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA), 1980-86 and 1998-2004. He is a recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM), the country's "highest prize for academic and intellectual attainment". Professor Adamolekun is married with children.