Professor Yomi Daramola, one of the Nigerian trained Musicologists/Ethnomusicologists and Performers, started his music career at the Oyo State College of Education (now Osun State College of Education) Ilesa. He later joined the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) as a student in the Department of Music and became the first student of the Department to graduate with a First Class Honours in Music with an Outstanding Student’s Award by the University and was also the first Ph.D product of the Department. Professor Daramola had all his Degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and has participated in academic music conferences, symposia, workshops and several other colloquia in Europe, America and other parts of Africa. His scholarship, with special focus on Performative Musicology especially in the areas of African music, Music of the Mass Culture and Islamic and Islamized Music, has been greatly influenced by seasoned African and Western scholars and performers of music such as J.H.K. Nketia, Akin Euba, Tunji Vidal, Mosunmola Omibiyi-Obidike, Meki Nzewi, Ademola Adegbite, Joshua Uzoigwe, Christopher Oyesiku, Fishers H.J., Irele Abiola, Jean Jenkins, Yemi Olaniyan, Bode Omojola, Tejumola Olaniyan, Babatunde Akinyemi, Thora Dubois, Michael Varner, Michael Richter, and a host of others numerous to mention.
Professor Daramola, was the first Fulbright Scholar from the Department of Music Obafemi Awolowo University. During his Fulbright year at the University of Texas, Arlington, U.S.A., Professor Daramola facilitated a linkage programme between Obafemi Awolowo University and University of Texas, Arlington through which a Professor of music was brought to the Department of Music O.AU. in 2008 to study Yoruba traditional music. Professor Daramola, apart from being a visiting lecturer and examiner to some Nigerian Public and Private Universities and reviewer to some National and International Music Journals, belong to several national and international professional bodies. Professor Daramola as at now has supervised Twelve Masters and Four PhD candidates with three of them as lecturers in Nigerian higher Institutions and one of them a soldier in Nigerian army.
Within and outside the University, Professor Daramola had served and contributed significantly to so many professional bodies and committees. He was a member of the technocrat committee for the compilation and editing of the Hymn Book for Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide. In 2008, he led the team for the revision of materials for teaching African Music Courses at the University of Texas, Arlington. Furthermore, Professor Daramola served as the Chairman, Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University ’Guest Lecture Committee 2007 to 2019; Head, Department of Music at different times, a two-term Vice-Dean at the Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University; member, Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTUs) of the Obafemi Awolowo University; Chairman and member of several Ad-Hoc (Senate Special Task Force) Committees of the Obafemi Awolowo University.
Professor Daramola , the Dean, Faculty of Arts between 1st August, 2019 and 31st July, 2021, is currently the D.V.C. Administration (Elect) for Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife