• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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UI announces Adebowale new vice-chancellor

UI announces Adebowale new vice-chancellor

Governing Council of the University of Ibadan has announced Kayode Adebowale as the 13th vice-chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Adebowale, a professor of Chemistry who is presently the deputy vice-chancellor (Admin) of the University emerged following the final screening by the Joint Senate-Council Selection Board of the University which was held at the Adeoye Lambo Senate Chamber on Thursday.

Earlier, the board had reduced the number of candidates to eight on Wednesday after screening the 15 applicants for the position.

The eight successful candidates participated in the final interview yesterday (Thursday) after which three candidates were selected to include the Acting VC Adebola Ekanola, Yinka Aderinto, Adebowale, Ademowo, and Salako all Professors

John Odigie-Oyegun, the pro-chancellor, and chairman of the Governing Council, at a press briefing in Ibadan, said the candidate emerge after a rigorous exercise.

According to him, on Wednesday, 13 October 2021 Council interacted with all 15 candidates. All members of the Council scores the candidates using approved Council guidelines. In the end, eight candidates in order of merit were shortlisted for the final interview.

“At the meeting, two members of Council as required by law were also appointed. Earlier in the week, Senate had elected two members of the Senate to serve on the Selection Board for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.

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“On Thursday, the Joint Council-in-Senate Selection Board interviewed the eight candidates shortlisted. Two representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education were in attendance.

Oyegun said after a thorough, transparent, and highly competitive exercise, Kayode Oyebode Adebowale emerged as the best candidate for the position of vice-chancellor.

“The Governing Council as its just-concluded meeting today considered the report of the Selection Board and approved the recommendation of the Board to appoint Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale as the next Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan.

The new VC said he was not the best candidate but that God gave him the opportunity because there is work to be done.

“It is a privilege for me to serve. Professor Adebowale seated here is not the best out of the candidates. The University has gone through some challenging times and there are so many things we have learned there.

“I am not the best but God just put me there because there is work to be done. With the support of Council, Senate, workers, congregation, and all others, we shall move this university to greater heights.”

The tenure of the immediate VC, Idowu Olayinka expired on November 30th, 2020 after which the post of the institution’s vice-chancellor became vacant on December 1, 2020.

The process of appointing a substantive VC had been marred with a crisis which led to the appointment of an Acting VC, Adebola Ekanola who is currently his second term of six months

Ekanola assumed office on December 1st, 2020.

Adebowale was on January 11, 1962 in Ibadan,the new Vice-Chancellor attended the University of Ibadan for his first, second and third degrees, respectively.
The new Vice-Chancellor was employed as a graduate assistant in the Department of Chemistry in 1987, and was promoted to the professorial cadre in 2006.