About Professor Benjamin Olusomi Bolaji
Professor Benjamin Olusomi Bolaji who hails from Ogori, Ogori-Magongo LGA, Kogi Sate, Nigeria, attended St Peter’s Primary School Ogori 1963-1965 and St Andrew’s Primary School, Okene 1966-1971. He had his secondary education at King’s College Lagos, 1972-1977, obtaining Grade 1 Distinction in West African School Certificate Examinations, 1976.
He proceeded to the University of Ibadan, Ibadan for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme in 1977 graduating in 1983. He had his internship at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Kaduna (1983-84) and served in the old Imo State during his National Youth Service Corps year (1984-85). He worked briefly as Medical Officer with Bauchi State Government 1985-86, Arewa Hospital, Jos (1986-89) and Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto (1989-90) before joining the residency training programme in Anaesthesia at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) in 1990.
He had his Postgraduate Diploma in Anaethesia and Residency training at the University of Calabar and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar (1990-91) and the University College Hospital, Ibadan (1992-1997). Through examinations and thesis he obtained the certificates of Postgraduate Diploma in Anaesthesiology (PGDA, University of Calabar, 1992) and the Fellowship of the Medical College in Anaesthesia, FMCA (National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (1998). He was associate lecturer in Anaesthesia, University of Ilorin, 1992-1998.
He joined the services of the University of Ilorin in 1998 as a Lecturer I in the Department of Anaesthesia and was appointed Honorary Consultant anaesthesiologist to the UITH, Ilorin in the same year. He rose through the ranks to become the first Professor of Anaesthesia in the University of Ilorin. Professor Bolaji is a trainer, resource person and examiner in the Faculty of Anaesthesia of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. He has trained hundreds of medical students at the undergraduate level and more than 30 Resident Doctors in the specialty of Anaesthesia.
He was Head of Department of Anaesthesia, UITH 2001-2009 and Head of Department of Anaesthesia, University of Ilorin, (2001- 2013 and 2015-2018). He attended a Clinical Attachment course in Anaesthesia for kidney transplant at the Mansoura University, World Health Organization Urology and Nephrology Centre, Mansoura, Egypt Aug-Sept 2009. He was awarded Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons (FWACS) in Anaesthesia, 2010.
He has attended many national and international conferences. Professor Bolaji was third Senate Member (2008-2010), Faculty Secretary (2010-2015) and Faculty Chairman (2015-2019) of the Faculty of Anaesthesia and Board Member (2015-2019) National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.
Professor Bolaji is a member of many professional bodies such as the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Nigerian Society of Anaesthetists (NSA) and Society of Specialists in Airway Management (SSAM) Nigeria Chapter. He is a member of the Boards of Trustees of the Paediatric Anaesthesia Society of Nigeria (PASoN) and SSAM. He has published several papers in peer reviewed international and national journals.
Professor Bolaji is a Pastor with the Rhema Chapel International Churches, Ilorin, Kwara State of Nigeria (1997 till date). His hobbies include current affairs and sports. He is married to Mrs. Olabimpe Oladunni Olu-Bolaji, hospital administrator with the UITH, Ilorin and they are blessed with children.