The Governing Council of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, has announced the appointment of Prof. Ebunoluwa Oduwole as the new Vice-Chancellor of the institution.
The announcement, contained in a statement made available on Thursday, comes as the tenure of the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Timothy Adebayo, ends this month after five years in office.
At a ceremony held on Wednesday, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Dr. Olutoyin Okeowo, praised Prof. Adebayo’s leadership, describing his tenure as a period of “tremendous growth” despite Nigeria’s challenging economic climate.
Okeowo said, “Between the period that Prof. Adebayo became the Vice-Chancellor in 2020 and now, this University has witnessed tremendous growth… But Prof. Adebayo has been able to ensure yearly growth of this University. I want to say this is highly commendable.”
He further commended the collective efforts of the university’s staff, noting that Adebayo’s achievements were made possible through teamwork. “Prof Adebayo has achieved so much simply because he has a team… It is teamwork that worked so well,” he added.
Unveiling Oduwole as Adebayo’s successor, Okeowo called for full cooperation from the university community to ensure her success. “Let me also use this opportunity to welcome the incoming Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mrs. Ebunoluwa Oduwole. She is making history as the first female Vice-Chancellor of this University. I am sure that you will give her the best cooperation so that she will excel in all ramifications,” he said.
Also speaking, the Archbishop of Ibadan Province and member of the Governing Council, The Most Rev’d Williams Aladekugbe, described Adebayo’s leadership as a blessing, citing notable progress in academic and infrastructural development during his tenure.
Meanwhile, in June, Prof. Adebayo had lauded the Mind Education programme integrated into the university’s curriculum as a “highly impactful initiative” yielding significant results for students.