Labode Popoola


Labode Popoola is a Nigerian academic, a professor of forest economics. He is the current substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University of Osun. He was appointed by the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola to succeed professor Oguntola Jelil Alamu, a Nigerian academician.

Early life and education

Labode was born at Inisa, a local government area of Osun State, southwestern Nigeria. Thereafter, he obtained a Bachelor of Science, Honours in 1984 from the University of Ibadan. Following the completion of the compulsory one year youth service program in 1985, he later proceeded to earn a master's degree in Forest Economics and Management and later received doctor of philosophy in Forest Economics in 1990 all at University of Ibadan.

Career

Professor Labode began his academic career in January 1988 as a Graduate assistant at University of Ibadan where he rose to the rank of senior lecturer in 1997 before he later became a full professor of Forest Economics in 2002. He is one of the academics that contributed to the development of the curriculum for the teaching of forest management in Nigerian universities.
He had served as Head of Department of Forest Resources Management. He later became Dean, Postgraduate school, University of Ibadan. He became Director for the Centre for Sustainable Development for University of Ibadan.

Association affiliated with

He belongs to many notable and professional association which includes Association of Research Managers, ;African Sustainable Development Network ; United Nation Sustainable Development Solutions Network.He is also a member at International Society of Tropical Foresters; Commonwealth Forestry Association and African Network for Agroforestry Education.Agroforestry Research Network for Africa.Rural Development Forestry Network. African Forest Research Network ; African Forest Forum ; West African Research and Innovation Management Association, and Life Member and Fellow, Forestry Association of Nigeria, all these are associations he is associated with.

Institutions worked as an examiner

Professor Labode has worked as an external examiner for over seventeen years in many institution both within and outside Nigeria which includes Federal College of Forestry in Ibadan, Federal college of Forest Merchanization in Kaduna, University of Uyo, Enugu State University, Federal University of Technology in Akure, Abeokuta, Markudi and in Yola, University College, Dublin, Ireland, UK.

Publications,Research and Honour

Labode has written over 150 publications. He has received the award of the Best all Round student in academic,Sports and Character in Saint Patrick's college, Ibadan and Character and Service Award Ibadan Diocese in 1978. He got Postgraduate Scholar at University of Ibadan. He was an Executive Member in African Network for Agroforestry Education. The Award for Invaluable Service in Agroforestry from the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry was given to him in 2001. National Contact Person, African Forest Research Network ; He is the National Secretary, Forestry Association of Nigeria since 2001 till date. Labode got the Award for Invaluable Service to the Forestry Profession from the Council of the Association of Nigeria in 2002. He was National Chairman of Inisa Descendants’ Union, the umbrella union for indigenes of Inisa Worldwide.

Personal life

Labode is a married man with kids.