Dr. Olaokun Soyinka
Born: 11 November 1958
Profession: Medical Doctor, Public Health Administrator
Former Role: Commissioner for Health, Ogun State
Parentage: Son of Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and Barbara Dixon
Early Life & Education
- Family: First child of Wole Soyinka and British educationist Barbara Dixon; one of ten siblings.
- Secondary Education: Government College, Ibadan
- Medical Training:
- MBBS, St Thomas’s Hospital Medical School, University of London (1982)
- MBA, Cranfield School of Management (1986)
Medical & Publishing Career
- UK Practice: Practised as a physician in the United Kingdom.
- Publishing: Founded and published the British Journal of Cardiology.
Pro‑Democracy Activism
- NALICON: General Secretary, National Liberation Council of Nigeria
- New Nigeria Forum: Co‑publisher of the NigeriaNow newsletter with Dr. Kayode Fayemi
- Radio Free Nigeria / Radio Kudirat: Co‑founder of the shortwave station broadcasting daily to Nigeria alongside Bola Tinubu, Kayode Fayemi, and Wole Soyinka
- Return to Nigeria: 1998, after the death of General Sani Abacha
Public Health & Government Service
- Consultancy: United Nations and CIDA on health projects
- WHO: Health Promotion Officer, WHO Country Office, Nigeria
- Commissioner for Health: Ogun State
- Launched the Araya Community‑Based Health Insurance Scheme
See Also
- Wole Soyinka
- Ogun State Ministry of Health
- Nigeria Pro‑Democracy Movements