Olufemi was born on 16 September 1947 in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State. He attended Molusi College, Ijebu-lgbo and proceeded to Government College, Ibadan, obtaining the best result of the year at the Cambridge Higher School Certificate, 1967. Afterwards he proceeded as Shell Scholar to the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with First Class Honours in 1971. He worked briefly for Shell-BP in Nigeria as pipeline engineer before proceeding to McGill University, Montreal, Canada on Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship where he obtained PhD degree in 1975 after two and half years. He returned to Nigeria to commence academic work at University of Ibadan in 1975 and rose rapidly to become the first Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the university in 1983. He is a recognized expert in issues related to Science and Technology Policy, Higher Education, Entrepreneurship Studies, and Information Technology. He also has several publications on micromechanics and technology development in local and international journals.
Selected publications
Engineering Mechanics for engineering programmes in universities and polytechnics;
He also participated in programmes with the University of Nairobi, Kenya and the University of Zimbabwe, Harare. With expertise in science and technology policy issues, Entrepreneurship Studies, and Information Technology, he served as Consultant to several companies in both the private and public sectors of the Nigeria’s economy as well as International Agencies.
Professional bodies
Member of the National Energy Panel that produced energy policy for Nigeria in 1984;
Member of the Implementation Committee of the National Science and Technology Policy. ;
Head of the Nigerian Delegation of the Scientists that visited Iran from August 14‑28, 1990 in respect of Memorandum of Understanding in Science and Technology between Nigeria and the Islamic Republic of Iran;
Member of the Planning Committee and the Chief Rapporteur of the first Technology Summit by NSE held in 1997 and others
Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board of the Pan-African Competitiveness Forum and the Chairman of the PACF
Association of Mechanical Engineering Academic Session Award in 1999
Nigerian Society of Engineers Merit Award and the United Nations Human Settlement Best Practice Award in respect of the Organo-Mineral Fertiliser Plant Design and Construction Project.
