Olukayode Ayooluwa Afolabi, FRHD was born in Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria. He obtained his B.Sc., M.Sc and Ph.D from the Department of Psychology, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Throughout the period of his studentship at Ibadan, Afolabi consistently ranked among the best students in his class. At the end of his participation in the mandatory National Youth Service in Oyo State, he became a recipient of the state National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) award for selfless and meritorious services in 1996. It was after this he enrolled for the M.Sc programme in Social/Personalityl Psychology which he successfully completed with a convenient Ph.D grade and was asked to proceed. The Department of Psychology at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria offered Olu a Faculty position in 1999 which he accepted. Thus, he combined his teaching appointment with pursuit of a Ph.D, which he commenced in 2001 and completed in 2004.

Dr. Afolabi, who is a Professor of Applied Social Psychology has taught courses that cut across different areas of Psychology. However, his core areas of research and teaching are statistical & research methods, personality assessments including team and organisational behaviour. Others include gender issues, prosocial behaviour and emotional intelligence. Olu's numerous publications appear in reputable local and international journals. He has also attended workshops, seminars and conferences locally and internationally mostly in the UK, USA, South Africa, Germany, Canada, France, Ghana and some other African countries.

Olu is a member of many academic societies such as the Nigerian Psychological Association; International Affiliate, American Psychological Association, Nigerian Association of Social Psychologists, African Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues etc. He was also the Editor, Ekpoma Journal of Behavioural Sciences and Editor-in-Chief, Nigerian Psycholoigcal Research, NPR and the Nigerian Psychological Research (the official journals of the Nigerian Psychological Association). Dr. Afolabi also distinguishes himself as an excellent administrator and has brought great innovations to his Department. In recognition of this and other enviable achievements, on August 14, 2008, he was given the "Pillar of Nation Building" award by the International Institute for Human Development in Abuja, Nigeria. He was also elected the Fellow of the same Institute.

Olu gets along with his colleagues and students. For this reason, he became the Sub-Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences of the University between December 22, 2009 to October 31, 2010. Because of his hard work, tolerance, self-discipline, intelligence and innovative skills, immediately after his tenure he was re-appointed the Acting Head, Department of Psychology, again on November 1, 2010 till November 30 when he withdrew his services from the University to Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, NIGERIA.

At the Adekunle Ajasin University in Nigeria, He was the Acting Head of Department between February 1, 2012 to August 31, 2015. During the same period, Afolabi became the 7th Dean of his Faculty (Social and Management Sciences) between August 1, 2014 and September 1, 2015. Thus, he combines the headship of his department with that of his Faculty. Immediately after the end of his tenure, he was appointed the Director of the newly established Centre for Basic and Part-Time Studies, CBPTS, where he was in charge of Diploma, Pre-degree, Degree and Postgraduate progrmmes of the University. After Olu has stabilized the Centre, he was moved to the Leadership Institute for Public Policy and Sustainable Development, LIPPSDev, as the Director. He was there until his 1 year sabbatical was approved at the University of Jos, Nigeria. He was at the University of Jos between August 1 to October 31, 2018. Prof Afolabi was specially requested to come to Nigeria’s premier Military academy to give academic and research support. For this and other reasons, Olu moved to the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, Kaduna with effect from November 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019. At the NDA, he was in charge of teaching Statistical Methods, Research Methods, Personality Assessment and Experimental Methods. It was during this period some postgraduate programmes were approved for the Department of Psychology. These listed courses were also taught at the PG level. Afolabi was the Chairman, Research Committee of the department for the period.

Olu is disciplined, humble, hardworking and a good disciplinarian who serves as a mentor to many of his and other students he teaches who nicknamed him "Daddy." Olukayode is happily married to Funmi, and they are blessed with lovely kids