Professor Adetunji Phillip Adewole of the Department of Computer Science, University of Lagos (UNILAG) has championed the importance of data mining as a powerful tool for societal and economic progress, and transformative force for innovation and sustainable development.
He stated this while delivering the twelfth (12th) Inaugural Lecture of the University in the 2024/2025 Academic Session, titled: Valuable Data Mining: A Veritable Tool For Unearthing Golden Nuggets In An Ocean of Data.
The lecture which outlined a 10-step data mining process, from problem definition to model refinement, showcased the Five V’s of Big Data: Volume, Velocity, Variety, Veracity, and Value, as crucial for unlocking societal and economic insights.
Professor Adewole highlighted the pivotal role of various data mining techniques and applications including:
- Customer segmentation and genetic studies through clustering.
- Model efficiency and trend prediction through dimensionality reduction and time series analysis.
- Public sentiment analysis through text mining.
- Personalized recommendations through collaborative filtering.
The Computer Science don, in his recommendations, urged stakeholders to invest in data infrastructure, integrate data science into education, and establish ethical frameworks to address privacy and security concerns trailing data mining.
Born on May 7, 1967 in Ola-Ejigbo, Osun State, to the family of Late Pa Ezekiel Adewole and Late Mrs. Juliana Adewole, the young Adetunji Phillip Adewole began his early education at First Baptist School, Ola-Ejigbo and St. Charles Grammar School, Osogbo where he completed his secondary education in 1983.
Thereafter, he earned a First Degree in Computer Science from the University of Benin, Edo State (1991), Master’s Degree in Computer Science from University of Lagos (1997) and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2005).
Professor Adewole began his academic career as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Maiduguri in 1994. He joined the services of Yaba College of Technology in 1997, and transferred to the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, in 2000. With extensive teaching experience, he transferred to the University of Lagos in 2011 as a Senior Lecturer and advanced to the position of Professor in 2019.
A Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society, Prof. Adewole has authored and co-authored over 58 research papers and has quite a number of articles within his areas of specialisation.
He is happily married with children.
Report: Bayo Salau
Photographs: Ayo Oloyede
