Tunji Olaopa
{{Short description|Nigerian political scientist and public administrator}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = Prof.
| name = Adetunji Olaopa
| honorific_suffix =
| office = Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission
| term_start1 = October 2023
| president = Bola Tinubu
| office2 = Executive Vice Chairman, Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy
| term_start2 = 2016
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1959|12|20}}
| birth_place =
| alma_mater =
| death_place =
| residence = Ibadan, Oyo State
| citizenship = Nigeria
| education = University of Ibadan, Commonwealth Open University
| occupation = Public Administrator, Political Scientist, Author, Retired Civil Servant
| organization =
| agent =
| known_for = Founding ISGPP, Public Administration, Public Policy
| notable_works =
| style =
| influenced =
| home_town =
}}
Tunji Olaopa, (born 20 December 1959 in Aáwé, Oyo State) is a Nigerian political scientist and public administrator. He is the Executive Vice Chairman of Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy, Bodija, Ibadan and a professor of Public Policy at the Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State.{{cite news |last1=Ogunyemi |first1=Tosin |title=Federal government urged to review federal revenue in favour of fiscal federalism |url=https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/federal-government-urged-review-federal-revenue-favour-fiscal-federalism-122617/amp |accessdate=28 July 2018 |agency=Today Nigeria |date=14 June 2018}}{{cite news |last1=News |title=Nigeria needs widespread reorientation on national values |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/nigeria-needs-widespread-reorientation-national-values/ |accessdate=5 August 2018 |agency=Vanguard Nigeria |date=27 May 2016}}
Early life
Tunji Olaopa was born to the family of Festus Adeyemo Olaopa and Beatrice Okebola While Olaopa in Aáwé, Oyo State, Nigeria on 20 December 1959.{{Cite web |date=2019-12-16 |title=Tunji Olaopa at 60: The man of faith sans the collar |url=https://guardian.ng/opinion/tunji-olaopa-at-60-the-man-of-faith-sans-the-collar/ |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}} The family was of the lower middle class.{{cite web|url=https://reubenabati.com.ng/index.php/component/k2/item/2110-my-mother-was-a-good-woman-tunji-olaopa|title=My mother was a good woman - Tunji Olaopa|first=Reuben|last=Abati|publisher=}}
Education
Olaopa received a BSc degree Political Science from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State in 1984 and an MSc in 1987 from the same institution. He received his PhD in Public Administration from the Commonwealth Open University, United Kingdom in 2006.{{cite news |last1=Falola |first1=Toyin |title=Tunji Olaopa, a scholar and a public servant |url=http://thenationonlineng.net/tunji-olaopa-scholar-public-servant/ |accessdate=28 July 2018 |publisher=The Nation (online) |date=14 October 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://kyg.nigeriagovernance.org/personsInOffices/view/1087|title=NGP KYG: Dr Tunji Olaopa|website=kyg.nigeriagovernance.org}}{{cite web|url=http://www.aipp.edu.ng/dr-tunji-olaopa-oon/|title=Dr Tunji Olaopa, OON – Africa Institute of Public Policy|website=www.aipp.edu.ng}}
Career
Olaopa was the Chief Research Officer, Policy Analyst and Speech Writer at the State House, Abuja. He was also the Assistant Director/Secretary of the White Paper Panel for Nigeria's 1995 Ayida Public Service Reform where he was responsible for the implementation of the reform. He has also been the Coordinator, Education Sector Analysis and Head, Policy Division, Office of the Minister in the Federal Ministry of Education. He was a one time Deputy Director/Head, Technical Secretariat, Reform Strategy Team, Management Services Office. He has also been the Director of Programmes at the Bureau of Public Service Reforms. Also, Olaopa was a Special Assistant on Reforms to the Head of Service of Nigeria on Public Service Reforms. He was also the Director of External Linkages & Reforms Department at the Office of Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; as well as the Director, MDAs Department, Bureau of Public Service Reforms. He rose to the position of Permanent Secretary in the Nigerian Civil Service and he served in that capacity the State House, Abuja; the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, before ending at the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology.{{cite news |last1=Obaebor |first1=Oghenefego |title=Undergraduates tasked on hardwork, delayed gratification |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/undergraduates-tasked-hardwork-delayed-gratification/ |accessdate=28 July 2018 |agency=Vanguard Nigeria |date=31 May 2018}}
He established the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy in 2016 after his retirement from the civil service.{{cite news|last1=Tometi|first1=Tokunbo|title=Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) And the Reform Business|url=https://westernpostnigeria.com/ibadan-school-of-government-and-public-policy-isgpp-and-the-reform-business/|accessdate=5 August 2018|publisher=Western Post|date=January 25, 2016}}{{cite news|last1=Ibrahim|first1=Jibrin|title=From Governance to Government|url=https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2016/02/08/from-governance-to-government-by-jibrin-ibrahim/|accessdate=5 August 2018|publisher=Premium Times|date=February 8, 2016}}
Awards & recognitions
Olaopa was conferred the National Productivity Award in 2015{{cite news |last1=Ogbodo |first1=Dele |title=Nigeria: Buhari Confers National Productivity Award On Olaopa, 10 Others |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201508201358.html |accessdate=5 August 2018 |publisher=All Africa |date=20 August 2015}} and was honoured with the Thabo Mbeki Award for Public Service and Scholarship in early 2018 at Africa conference at University of Texas at Austin.{{cite news |last1=News |title=Olaopa bags Thabo Mbeki award |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/04/olaopa-bags-thabo-mbeki-award/ |accessdate=5 August 2018 |publisher=Vanguard online |date=3 April 2018}} In July 2018, he was made a professor of Public Administration at Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria.{{cite news |last1=Ojeifo |first1=Emmanuel |title=Tunji Olaopa: From civil servant to public governance professor |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/tunji-olaopa-from-civil-servant-to-public-governance-professor/ |accessdate=5 August 2018 |publisher=Vanguard online |date=20 July 2018}}
References
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Category:University of Ibadan alumni
Category:Nigerian political scientists