Clement Odunayo Adebooye, a professor of plant physiology has emerged the new Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN).
Yusuf Alli, the pro-chancellor and chairman of the governing council of UNIOSUN announced the appointment on Monday, January 3, 2022. Adebooye succeeds Labode Popoola whose tenures ended on November 4, 2021 to become the 4th vice-chancellor of the university.
Prof Adebooye, with an academic career spanning 26 years, had served as member of UNIOSUN Governing council, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Provost/Dean, Director and Head of Department among others.
Before his appointment, he was the most senior full-time Professor in the Department of Crop Production and Protection, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
He had served as Ambassador Scientist for the German Government Humboldt Foundation, Secretary-General of the African-German Network Excellence in Science (AGNES) and Regional Project Coordinator for the Government of Canada Projects in West Africa.
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Adebooye has been visiting professor at many universities in Nigeria, Germany, and Canada and provided services for the United Nations.
The 55-year-old professor has utilised 9 fully-funded international research fellowships worldwide, including the highly prestigious United Nations University Fellowship, Germany and won 25 research grants and over 100 travel grants worth $11.0 million (N5.5 billion).
Meanwhile, Gboyega Oyetola, the executive governor of Osun State has endorsed the appointment of the new vice-chancellor. Adebooye defeated the 7 candidates who made it to the final to emerge the Vice-chancellor.
Before narrowing the selection to 7 candidates, 13 candidates were in the forefront of becoming the 4th vice-chancellor of the university when in July UNIOSUN published an advertorial announcing the position vacant with criteria listed.
This was greeted with opposition from those who felt candidates from the sciences should be favoured over those from humanities and social sciences.
The Osun State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and other aggrieved professors resolved to an addendum to the initial advertisement to address the concern, and further initiated legal action before the High Court of Justice, Osun State to address the situation.
On Thursday, December 16, 2021, Bola Adepele Ojo, the presiding judge of the High Court of Justice in Osun State dismissed the substantive suit filed by the plaintiffs, aggrieved professors and NMA.
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