Biography:Sunday Iyahen
Sunday Osarumwense Iyahen | |
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| Born | Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria |
| Died | 28 January 2018 (aged 80) Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Other names | Sunny |
| Education |
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| Occupation | Mathematician, politician |
| Spouse(s) | Veronica Aigboduwa Osagie |
| Children | 6 |
| Parent(s) |
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| Awards |
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Sunday Osarumwense Iyahen (3 October 1937 – 28 January 2018)[1] was a Nigerian mathematician and politician. He worked as a professor of mathematics at several universities in Nigeria and abroad,[2] and contributed to the general theory of topological vector spaces. He also served as a senator in the Nigerian parliament for two terms, representing Bendel Central Senatorial District.[3]
Early life and education
Iyahen was born on 3 October 1937 in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.[4] He was the eldest of at least seventeen children of Solomon Igbinuwen Iyahen and his wife Aiwekhoe.[4]
Iyahen attended Saint Matthew's Primary school in Benin City (1944-45), followed by Saint Peter's School (1945-51) in the same city.[5] Both schools were under the administration of the Church Mission Society, a London-based organisation established in 1799.[6] He then attended Edo College in Benin City. In 1956, he passed in the Cambridge school certificate examination, earning a Division One. He studied at Government College, Ibadan, for his Cambridge Higher School Certificate in 1957-1958.[5]
In 1959, he enrolled at University College, Ibadan, to study mathematics. He graduated with a first class honours degree in mathematics in 1963. He then proceeded to the University of Keele, where he obtained his Ph.D. in mathematics in 1967.[7] He later obtained his D.Sc. in mathematics from the same university in 1987.[8]
Academic career
Iyahen commenced his academic journey as a mathematics lecturer at the University of Ibadan in 1965. He progressed through the ranks, achieving senior lecturer status in 1969 and professorship in 1974. He was the Department Head for Mathematics from 1976 to 1978 and Dean of the Faculty of Science from 1978 to 1980.[5]
In 1980, he joined the Institute of Technology, Benin (later renamed the University of Benin), where he served as the founding dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences and director of the Centre for Mathematical Sciences. Additionally, he held the position of vice-chancellor from 1985 to 1986.[5]
He contributed as a visiting professor to various institutions, including the University of Lagos, University of Jos, University of Port Harcourt, University of Ilorin, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Cape Coast (Ghana), University of Khartoum (Sudan), and the University of Waterloo, Canada.[5]
He published over 100 mathematics-related papers in international journals,[5] served as the editor-in-chief for Afrika Mathematika and Journal of the Nigerian Mathematical Society,[5] and chaired the board of Federal Polytechnic, Idah.[9]
He was a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science and the Mathematical Association of Nigeria,[10] Iyahen was also a member of the London Mathematical Society, the American Mathematical Society, and the International Mathematical Union.[5]
Political career
Iyahen was a two-time senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.[11] He represented Bendel Central Senatorial District under the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the second republic (October to December 1983)[12] and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the third republic (August 1992 to November 1993).[13] He served in different capacities in the senate, such as the chairman of the Committee on Education, Science and Technology, and the vice-chairman of the Committee on Finance and Appropriation.[11]
Personal life and death
Iyahen married Veronica Aigboduwa Osagie on 25 September 1967. They had six children and eleven grandchildren.[5]
Iyahen died on 28 January 2018 in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. He was 80 years old. He was buried on 16 February 2018 at his residence in Benin City.[14]
References
- ↑ Onyechi 1989, p. 43.
- ↑ Aisien 2001, p. 57.
- ↑ Guardian Magazines 1994, p. 19.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Omozusi 1997, p. 195.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 "Sunday Iyahen (1937 - 2018) - Biography - MacTutor History of Mathematics". University of St Andrews. https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Iyahen/.
- ↑ Africa Journal Limited 1991, p. 830.
- ↑ "Sunday Iyahen". 3 October 1937. https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Iyahen/.
- ↑ "Mathematician of the African Diaspora". http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/PEEPS2/iyahen_sundayo.html.
- ↑ Gerdes & Africa 2007, p. 374.
- ↑ "Notices of the Nigerian Mathematical Society". 13 July 2019. https://www.nigerianmathematicalsociety.org/uploads/simplex/notices/NMS%20Notices,%20may%202018.pdf.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "SENATE PASSES MOTIONS ON DEMISE OF PROF. IYAHEN, HALT IMPORTATION OF PALM OIL". https://nass.gov.ng/news/item/658.
- ↑ Guardian Magazines Limited 1992, p. 29.
- ↑ Newswatch Communications Limited 1992, p. 17.
- ↑ Uzoatu, Uzor Maxim (3 May 2023). "Prof Iyahen: One Tree That Made The Forest". https://www.inigerian.com/prof-iyahen-one-tree-that-made-the-forest/.
Sources
- Onyechi, N.N. (1989). Nigeria's Book of Firsts: A Handbook on Pioneer Nigerian Citizens, Institutions, and Events. Nigeriana Publications. ISBN 978-978-2839-99-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=l9JBAAAAYAAJ. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- Omozusi, N.O. (1997). The Benin Kingdom a Century After British Invasion. Mufti International Services. ISBN 978-978-2692-14-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=0I4PAQAAMAAJ. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- Africa Who's who. Know Africa. Africa Journal Limited. 1991. ISBN 978-0-903274-17-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=9EAOAQAAMAAJ. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- Newswatch. Newswatch Communications Limited. 1992. https://books.google.com/books?id=REEuAQAAIAAJ. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- Aisien, E. (2001). The Benin City Pilgrimage Stations. Aisien Publishers. ISBN 978-978-31533-5-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=B5QuAQAAIAAJ. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- The African Guardian. Guardian Magazines. 1994. https://books.google.com/books?id=zzMuAQAAIAAJ. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- The African Guardian. Guardian Magazines Limited. 1992. https://books.google.com/books?id=nDUuAQAAIAAJ. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- Gerdes, P.; Africa, A.M.U.C.H.M. (2007). African Doctorates in Mathematics: A Catalogue. Research Centre for Mathematics, Culture and Education. ISBN 978-1-4303-1867-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=wgiTQUcE21UC&pg=PA374. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
External links
- Sunday Iyahen at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
- O'Connor, John J.; Robertson, Edmund F., "Sunday Iyahen", MacTutor History of Mathematics archive, University of St Andrews, http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Iyahen.html.
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