Kayode Adebowale has emerged as the 13th vice-chancellor of Nigeria’s premier university, the University of Ibadan.

The announcement was made by the chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, John Odigie-Oyegun, on Thursday at the Senate Chambers in Ibadan.

The professor of Chemistry, until his appointment, was the deputy vice-chancellor (Administration) of the 73-year-old university.

Mr Odigie-Oyegun, while making the announcement, said, “Today, Thursday, October 14, 2021, the Joint Council-Senate Selection Board interviewed the eight candidates shortlisted. Two representatives of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) and the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education were in attendance.”

At the end of the “very thorough, transparent and highly competitive exercise, Prof. Kayode Oyebode Adebowale emerged as the best candidate” for the position, the ex-APC chairman explained.

He added, “The governing council, at its just-concluded meeting today considered the report of the selection board and approved the recommendation of the board to appoint Prof. Kayode Oyebode Adebowale as the next vice-chancellor of the University of Ibadan.”

Mr Odigie-Oyegun further stated that the position of vice-chancellor became vacant on December 1, 2020.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Adebowale said that God wanted him to serve though he was not the best among all the candidates.

Sixteen candidates applied to become the 13th vice-chancellor of the university. However, the withdrawal of a former dean of the Faculty of Arts, Remi Raji-Oyelade, had reduced the number to 15.

Following a screening exercise by the university’s governing council, the contestants were pruned to eight on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, those who scaled through the screening included the acting VC, Adebola Ekanola, Yinka Aderinto; Adebowale; Ademowo and Babatunde Salako.

(NAN)