Joshua Ayoola Obaleye is a professor of chemistry with over 40 years’ experience in the teaching and assessing chemistry and chemical sciences related courses. He was born in Ilesa, Osun State, Nigeria (July 3, 1954). He had both his primary and secondary school education at Ilesa, Osun State. He obtained his B.Sc. Chemistry degree from Union University, Jackson Tennessee 38301 USA in 1977 and Ph.D. Radiation and Inorganic Chemistry from Texas W. University, Denton, Texas 76204 USA in 1981. He joined University of Ilorin on July 31, 1987 as Senior Lecturer after serving in some other Universities. He was promoted to full professor in 1996. He was the former Head of Chemistry Department and former Dean of Faculty of Science, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

Prof. Obaleye has received several awards both nationally and internationally.  He is a fellow of many professional organizations including Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), Fellow of Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (FICCON), Fellow of Chemical Society of Nigeria(FCSN) and Fellow of Nigeria Society for Experimental Biology (FNISEB). He is a 2020 Class of Fellows of American Chemical Society (ACSF).  He is a chartered Chemist and Chartered Scientist (UK), a member of Public Analyst of Nigeria (MIPAN), and Science Association of Nigeria (SAN). He is the Chairman, ACS Nigeria International Chemical Sciences Chapter and Student Advisor, ACS University of Ilorin Student Chapter.  He participated at the West African Research and Innovation Management Association (WARIMA), workshop held at the Felix Houphouët Boigny University, Abidjan, and Cote d I’voire, January 21-26, 2018 and Darka, Senegal, November 21-26, 2021. He has served as the Corresponding Editor of many journals and the Editor in Chief of Centre-point journal (Science Edition)-University of Ilorin Journal. He has served as external examiner and Visiting Professor to many Universities within and abroad. He has served both as member and chairman of many Boards and committees; including Board of Trustee of some academic and community organizations. He is a public analyst. He was a Recipient of the Development in Nigeria Merit Award presented on 18^th of August, 2007 in Abuja, Nigeria. He has over 160 publications both nationally and internationally to his credit.  He has many collaborators both within and outside his country, Nigeria. Professor Obaleye is an Inorganic Chemist having special interest in Medicinal//Bioinorganic/Coordination Chemistry. He is a member of ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry. His research focus is in Synthesis, Structural Elucidation and Biological Potency of Metal-Drug Complexes with specific reference to antimalaria, antituberculosis, antiinflammatory and anticancer among others. He has supervised many BSc; M.Sc.; and Ph.D. students. Some of them are now professors in their various universities. He presented his inaugural lecture in 2004 on the topic “Marriageology of Chemical Nature: Drug Metal Complexes Perspective”. One of the first two recipients of 500,000 USD STEP B grant for University of Ilorin, Ilorin Nigeria.  He was nominated as the first to be awarded the best researcher of the Year by University of Ilorin in 2009 with gift of a new car. He is a consultant and analyst for Unilorin Water Management Board.

He has served as resource person and guest/key note speaker in many national and international conferences and workshops including serving as accreditation panel member and chairman to many Universities. He has served as the Chairman, Kwara State Chapter of Haggai Institute Alumni Association of Nigerian for over ten years. He is a National Board Member of Haggai Institute of Nigeria. Prof. Obaleye contributed to the establishment of U6 Consortium of African Universities. He was invited to serve as the Chairman Technical Session of the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN) (Maximizing the value of your laboratory to the enterprise) workshop on “Your Laboratory, Your Business” holding at Bovina Hotel, Ilorin between 21st to 22nd April, 2015. He has served as a member of the Constitutional Review Committee of Chemical Society of Nigeria. He was nominated for Full Membership in Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society. He is a Full member of this society. It is “the world’s largest honor society for scientists and engineers including Nobel Laureates who are members of this society”.

Prof. Obaleye was among the practicing chemists from a wide range of countries invited  by ACS International Affairs office to work together in drafting  Global Chemists’ Code of Ethics(GCCE)  for world chemists ; the workshop which took place on April 4 –6, 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This program was funded by the U.S. State Department’s Chemical Security Program, including the technical assistance from Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL). He participated and contributed towards organizing the Material Control and Accountability Workshop for Academia and Industry, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Chemical Security Program (CSP) and Sandia National Laboratories, USA at the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island on May 15-19, 2017. He was similarly invited to participate at the Chemical Safety and Security Curriculum Development Program sponsored by Sandia National Laboratories, USA  held at Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria on 6-10 November,2017.

 He was invited to the 5th Festival Training Institute held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates on April 16 – 20, 2018 by ACS, office of Science Outreach, Washington DC   to join other delegates from across Africa and the Middle East in developing plans for Chemistry Festivals in their respective home regions.

He was invited to serve as member of the advisory board of the ACS Regional Meeting for Middle East and Africa-05 February 2020. He was also appointed by Chemical Society of Nigeria(CSN) Council to serve as a member of the 2020 Electoral Committee of CSN. Based on his great contribution to the progress of CSN, he was conferred with Chemical Society of Nigeria(CSN) Gold award of Excellence during the 42^nd Annual International Conference,workshop and exhibition of CSN held in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria between Sunday, 8th – Friday, 13th September 2019. He was appointed as a Committee Associate of ACS Senior Chemists Committee (SCC) (2021). He is a member of SCC Newsletter subcommittee.Full membership of sigma Xi -the scientific research honor society. He has also received training in the conduct of programme and institutional accreditation by Virtual Institute for capacity Building in Higher Education (VICBHE) under the auspices of the National Universities Commission Strategy Advisory Committee (STRADVCOM). He is a Certified Accreditor.

He is married with children and grandchildren.