Professor Rachel Bolaji Asagba was born on 13th February 1953 to a large humble family. Her father, Late Chief Giwa Ademokunle Oloye was a great Cocoa farmer and well-respected personality within the town. Her mother, Late Madam Ademolawe Oloye nee Ademolawe Usikaye of the Great Family of High Chief Usikaye Adeola, was one of the direct descendants of King Elewokun Olowo of Owo. Her grandmother, Madam Olojuufun Usikaye, was a direct child of Ojomo Oluda of Ijebu-Owo. She was a princess from both the side of her Grandfather (Usikaye) lineage and that of her Grandmother (Ojomo). Late Madam Ademolawe Oloye was a leading traditional cloth weaver and a trader.

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Professor Rachel Bolaji Asagba was her mother’s only child. Her mother, Madam Ademolawe, was a devoted, gentle and kind-hearted person who loved other children like her own. She helped raise many children, both the children of close and distant family members. She put many children through Primary and Secondary school level education. Rachel’s Mother had looked upon God for the blessing of the womb for several years. When Rachel finally arrived in 1953, they were delighted. Rachel was treated like the princess she was, and she equally loved her parents with her whole heart.

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Rachel Bolaji Asagba was a lover of education. She completed her primary and secondary school education at Owo in Ondo state with flying colours. There she attended the New Church Grammar School, Iselu, Owo, Ondo State as a boarding school student. 

 

She obtained a Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Vienna, Medical Technical Schools Univ. Med. Clinic, Vienna Austria, where she studied between 1973-76. Thereafter, she got married in 1977 and worked as a dietitian at UCH, Ibadan before eventually moving to the US to further her educational career.

 

While in the US, in addition to completing various professional qualifications in varying fields of study, for example - Professional Alcoholism Certificate from the National Alcoholism of Greater New York, USA in 1984, Professional Biofeedback Certificate from the Institute of Biofeedback New York, USA in 1985 just to mention a few, she then graduated with a BA, Psychology from the College of Mount St. Vincent, Bronx, New York in 1985. After this, she proceeded to complete an M.Sc in the field of Psychology and Nutrition at the Clayton University St. Louis Missouri, U.S.A. in 1986. 

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Rachel Asagba received her logotherapy training under the Viktor Frankl Institute, Vienna between 1989 & 1992 and was mentored by the Late Viktor Frankl (Author of Man’s Search for a Meaning). She remained a strong advocate for this area of psychotherapy from this point on.

 

In 1998, Rachel Bolaji Asagba began her academic journey with her beloved Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan, Oyo State as an Assistant Lecturer where she distinguished herself in her field of Psychology. All her hard work and dedication over the years was finally rewarded in 2019 when she was promoted as a Professor of Clinical Psychology. 

 

Professor Rachel Asagba was the founder of the Nigerian Logotherapy Group at the University of Ibadan. She has a robust and vast archive of completed publications, journals and research that cut across a wide range of fields in addition to her area of specialisation.