Prof. Olu Odeyemi attended Ilesa Grammar School (1959-1963) and Abeokuta Grammar School (1965-1966). He obtained B.Sc. (Soil Science, 2nd Class Upper) in 1970 at University of Ibadan, M.Sc. (Agronomy) and Ph.D. (Microbiology) at Cornell University Ithaca, New York in 1974 and 1976 respectively. He received further professional training at Cambridge University, U.K; McGill University, Canada, and Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi.

Prof. Olu Odeyemi has supervised thesis research for about 700 undergraduate students and 50 postgraduate students. Among the distinguished Students mentored by Prof. Odeyemi are Prof. G.O Babalola (Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife), Prof. A.O Ogunseitan (University of Califonia, U.S.A), Prof. A.T. Abiola International professor of Microbiology, Canada), Prof.N. Esiobu (Florida Atlantic University, U.S.A) Prof. Kola Oloke, (LadokeAkintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso)
and Prof. Boboye (FUTA, Akure). Prof. Odeyemi has over 80 research publications.