Oyinlola Oluwunmi Olaokun was born in Lagos, Nigeria. She matriculated in 1987, after which she completed a BSc degree in Biochemistry at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria in 1991. She obtained an MSc in Biochemistry from Lagos State University in Lagos, Nigeria in 1997. Her interest in Phytomedicine was kindled when she was involved in a project on development of products (drinks and food) enriched with bioactive plant compounds for people with special needs. She came to South Africa to study towards her PhD in the department of Paraclinical Sciences, Phytomedicine Programme, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria.

Thesis title:

The value of extracts of Ficus lutea (Moraceae) in the management of Type II diabetes in a mouse obesity model.

Supervisor: Prof V Naidoo
Co-supervisor: Prof JN Eloff
Co-supervisor: Dr LJ McGaw
External examiner: ProfKHC Baser (Anadolu University, Turkey)
External examiner: Prof KSA Mossanda (Walter Sisulu University)
External examiner: Prof PK Mukherjee (Jadavpur University, India)