Born: 
22/04/1935
Died: 
01/08/2010
Specialty: 
Cardiology
Designatory Letters: 
MB Durham 1963, MRCP Edin 1967, FRCP Edin 1977, FMCP, FWACP

One of Nigeria's most distinguished physicians and academics has died. Theophilus Olewole Cole was born in Lagos, Nigeria and studied Medicine at King's College Medical School, University of Durham (now the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne). He qualified in 1963 and went on to gain his Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1967.

On returning to West Africa he took up a teaching post in Lagos at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba then, in November 1968, moved to the University College Hospital, Ibadan. The following year saw him starting work as a temporary Medical Research Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine eventually being appointed Professor in October 1982. Between August 1987 and September 1989 and again from 1991 to 1992, he was Head of the Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, eventually retiring in September 2000.

In addition to being elected to the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (1977) he held the Fellowships of the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical College of Physicians and that of the West African College of Physicians.

He will long be remembered as a dedicated teacher, and a consummate and distinguished cardiologist, deeply respected by students, patients and colleagues for his clinical skills. He is survived by his wife and three children.