Born August 1st, 1935 at Ola, near Ejigbo, in present Osun State, Emeritus Professor Adetoye Faniran received his primary education at Baptist Day School, Ola (1940-1952); secondary education at the (defunct) Government Teachers’ Training College (G.T.T.C), Ibadan (1954-1957); undergraduate education (B.A. Hons. London, Geography (1964) at the University of Ibadan, (1961-1964) and postgraduate education (Ph D) at the University of Sydney, Australia (1965-1968).  He also attended the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, and obtained the Certificate in Ministerial Formation Certificate (2000, 2001).

He has had distinguished career as a teacher, scholar, researcher/consultant and administrator at several levels of the Nigerian socio-economic life, including at the national level.  From a humble beginning, Emeritus Professor Faniran rose to attain the highest possible level of excellence as an academic/professional geographer and environmentalist, a teacher of teachers, a professor of professors (he has produced over 10 Ph Ds in Geomorphology as well authored/co-authored the syllabus and textbooks currently in use for this and related courses in Nigerian among other universities. He recently endowed a prize in geomorphology at his alma mater, in addition to others at lower levels and for other causes.

Among the important honours and distinctions that have been bestowed on him are:

• Department of Geography Prize, 1963/64
  • Federal Government/Commonwealth of Australia Scholarship and Fellowship, (1965 – 68)
  • Council for International Exchange of Scholars (Fulbright – Hays), 1976
  • Inclusions and mentions in the International Biographical Centre (IBC), 1986, 1988 and 1989 and the American Biographical Institute (AMI), 1989, 1990, 1991.
  • Fellowship of the Nigerian Geographical Association (FNGA), now Association of Nigerian Geographers (ANG), 1982
  • Research Adviser of the Year American Biographical Institute, 1990

Emeritus Professor Faniran belongs to a number of local and international professional/cum academic learned societies, including:

• • The Nigerian Geographical Association (now Association of Nigerian Geographers), 1963-date
  • The Geographical Society of New South Wales (Australia), 1965-date
  • The Nigerian Mining, Geological and Metallurgical Society, 1969 – date
  • International Water Resources Association, 1972-date
  • British Geomorphological Research Team, 1981-date
  • Nigerian Geomorphological Working Group (Founder), 1986-date
  • International Council for Higher Education (ICHE) West Africa (2010 – date)
  • Sacred Earth Ministry (Founder), 2001-date
  • Man & Nature Study/Action Centre (Founder), 1994-date

In addition to a distinguished teaching career, lasting 46 years (1968 - date), at the University of Ibadan, Department of Geography, he also held important administrative posts, including: Head of the Department (1979-1983); Dean (1989-1991) and Hall Master (1997 - 2003); he also served on a number of government and quasi-government bodies, including:

• Member, Osun North West Area Planning Authority, 1975-1977
• Member, Oyo State Economic Advisory Council, 1976-1977
• Member, Oyo State Executive Council, 1977-1979
  • Commissioner for Trade, Industries and Cooperatives  - December 1978 – September 1979
  • Commissioner for Works and Housing – December 1977 – December 1978
  • Commissioner for Health, April 1977 – December 1977

• Chairman, Water Corporation of Oyo State (WCOS), April 1984 – March 1986.
• Member, Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority, 1987-1989.

At the international level, Emeritus Professor Faniran was a Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. USA (1971); Council for International Exchange of Scholars (Fullbright – Hays) Senior African Scholar University of Wisconsin Madison, Wis U.S.A. (1976) and Visiting Professorial Fellow, Australian National University Canberra ACT (1986 – 1987).

Emeritus Professor Faniran has attended and presented papers at numerous national and international conferences/congresses.  He has, as of the last count, authored/co-authored/edited/co-edited over 30 books/ monographs and 150 articles in local and international journals and chapters in books.

Two themes dominate Professor Faniran’s professional life, namely, geomorphology/physical environment and theology of creation and environment. In the former, between 1969 and 2006, Professor Faniran has worked relentlessly to provide local material for both undergraduates and postgraduates while, in the case of the latter, starting from 2001,  he has been the anchor person in both the Sacred Earth Ministry and the International Council for Higher Education in the ongoing campaign to involve the Church in environmental activities generally, starting with the integration of environment into training curricula of seminaries/bible colleges and the organization of seminars, conferences, crusades, etc., for Churches to sensitize them on their divinely-ordered role in caring for the environment.

Emeritus Professor Faniran is married and blessed with  children and grand-children.
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