President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mourned the death of Emeritus Professor Seth Sunday Ajayi, a globally respected Nigerian conservationist, scholar, and pioneer in wildlife ecology. Ajayi died on January 5, 2026, at the age of 82.
In a statement issued on January 6, 2026, Tinubu described Ajayi as a giant whose work left a lasting mark on environmental science, wildlife management, and sustainable development in Nigeria and around the world.
Born on May 16, 1943, in Mopa, Kogi State, Ajayi became the first African Professor of Wildlife Ecology.
He was widely recognised for research that promoted the domestication and conservation of indigenous African species, including the grasscutter, African giant rat, and Nigerian helmeted guinea fowl.
Tinubu highlighted Ajayi’s efforts in shaping modern conservation practices and boosting food security through sustainable animal management.
Ajayi’s career included collaborations with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Environment Programme, earning him global acclaim.
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His achievements include induction into the UNEP Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1994 and the Nigerian National Order of Merit in 2013.
Tinubu extended condolences to Ajayi’s family, friends, the government and people of Kogi State, and Nigeria’s scientific community, praying that his legacy would inspire future generations of scholars and conservationists.
Ajayi’s death marks the loss of one of Nigeria’s foremost environmental scholars, whose work positioned the country as a leader in sustainable wildlife conservation globally.