Biography:Sunday Iyahen

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Short description: Nigerian mathematician and senator (1937–2018)
Sunday Osarumwense Iyahen
Born
Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
Died28 January 2018(2018-01-28) (aged 80)
Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
Other namesSunny
Education
  • University of Ibadan (B.Sc.)
  • University of Keele (Ph.D. and D.Sc.)
OccupationMathematician, politician
Spouse(s)Veronica Aigboduwa Osagie
Children6
Parent(s)
  • Solomon Igbinuwen Iyahen
  • Aiwekhoe
Awards
  • Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science
  • Fellow of the Mathematical Association of Nigeria

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

Sources

External links