CITATION ON PROFESSOR CLEOPHAS AKINTOYE LOTO

Born into a typical Christian family, the young Cleophas Akintoye Loto started primary school quite early, in comparison to his contemporaries. His father, Pa Emmanuel Lot, a retired Reverend and his mother Madam Mary Agbeyigban Loto have always been lovers of education. In January 1969, Cleophas Akintoye Loto started his teaching career at the famous Baptist school, Apapa. After a stint in the banking sector, the young Aking Loto went back to the classroom, his natural habitat.

In 1977 he graduated with the B.Sc degree in Chemistry from the University of Lagos. This was followed with the M.Sc in Metallurgy from Brunel University and the Ph.D in 1984 in Corrosion Science and Engineering from the University of Manchester. He also earned diplomas in General Administration and Management. Dr. Cleophas Akintoye Loto has been a Chartered Engineer (C. Eng) of the Engineering Council of the U.K since 1989.

His academic career path stretches from the Obafemi Awolowo University – Lecturer I (1985-89), University of Lagos (1989-1995) – Senior Lecturer, Bayero University, Kano – Associate Professor, to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology – Ogbomosho (1997) – Professor of Mechanical Engineering.

He has held visiting positions as a Scholar and a Professor in many world class centres, including the University of Manchester, Chalmers University, Sweden, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada, South Bank University, London, and Kind Falid University of Petroleum\um and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Apart from a very fulfilling academic career, Professor Akin Loto has worked as a professional banker and a practicing Metallurgical Scientist at the Nigerian Steel Development Authority. He has received many awards, grants and accolades. In 1988 for instance, he received a grant of US$12,000.00 for corrosion research in Agriculture from the International Foundation for Science, Sweden. His Ph.D has remained one of the fastest to be awarded by the University of Manchester.

Professor Akin Loto has to his credit more than 55 publications, most of which are in international journals. He also has published five supplementary textbooks in Chemistry, Physics and Biology. He has also supervised many high quality projects, dissertations and theses. He holds memberships and fellowship of the Institute of Materials, Nigerian Society of Engineers, National Association of Corrosion Engineering, U.S.A, Institute of Corrosion Science and Technology, U.K. Nigerian Metallurgical Society, Nigerian Corrosion Association and the Institute of Production Control, U.K.

Professor Akin Loto joined Covenant University, Canaan Land, Ota as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Science and Technology in September 2006. He was subsequently .appointed as the Head of Mechanical Engineering Department the same month he joined, a responsibility he still undertakes to date. He is a member of Senate of this great university. Since he joined the University, he has been making tremendous contributions to academic learning and knowledge. He had introduced some new courses into his department and the College. These include: (1) Corrosion Science & Engineering; and (2) Technology Management (The Management of Technological Innovation). These are very strategic courses for our technological needs, advancement and management. He has also contributed to the overhauling of the Departmental syllabus to make it align with NUC and COREN recommendations.

Our distinguished lecturer, Loto, C. A. the Great" is an accomplished sportsman, an international scholar, a competent scientist/Engineer, and a completely sold-out child of God. He is a passionate family man, blessed with an amiable wife – Dr. (Mrs) Margaret Abiola (Ph.D – Economics) and four wonderful sons – Oluwagbenga, Tolulope, Olatokunbo and Olakunle.