Born on 25th November, 1955, Prof. Ityavyar hails from Mbaakon in Vandeikya local government area.
He attended Government Secondary School, Gboko from 1971-1975 where he obtained the West African School Certificate, WASC. He proceeded to the School of Basic Studies of the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU Zaria from 1975 to 1976.
In 1976, Prof. Ityavyar was given admission to read B.Sc (Hons) in Sociology at ABU and he graduated in 1979. He attended the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada where he obtained a Masters of Arts degree in Sociology of Health and Development from 1981- 1982 and thereafter a PhD in Health and Social Development from the University of Toronto, where he studied from 1983-1985.
Prof. Ityavyar was a research fellow at the Federal Ministry of Health, Lagos; 1979-1980; lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Jos, 1980-1981 before he moved to the University of Manitoba, Canada where he worked as Teaching Assistant from 1981 to 1982; and Teaching Assistant, University of Toronto, 1983-1985. He was Senior Sociology Lecturer, 1990 to 1993; Associate Professor of Sociology, 1994 to 2001 before becoming Professor of Sociology in 2002.
Professor Ityavyar has worked variously as University Administrator; Coordinator, Social Work Programme; Head, Department of Sociology; Coordinator, Advanced Diploma in Health; Director, Consultancy Services Division amongst other posts.
He is a member of several professional bodies including African Chapter of the Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Public Health Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Association of Sociology and Anthropology, Canadian Association of African Studies, Women in Nigeria, League of Friends of Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos Academic Forum, Social Science and Medicine-Africa Network, International Association of Social Science and Medicine, International Centre for Gender and Social Research, INTER-GENDER, among many others.
Professor Ityavyar has published many books including The state and women in Nigeria, The Political Economy of Health in Africa, The Changing Socio-Economic Role of Tiv Women, Wholistic Health Care: Medical and Religious Dimension, to mention a few. His writings have also been featured in many publications such as Africa, a continent in crisis published by David Wilson, Rural Development Policies in Nigeria (edited) by L.A. Ega.
Prof. Ityavyar who is married to Nancy Ngowar and blessed with four children is a widely travelled man.
