The Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has approved the appointment of Professor Ige Olugbenga as the substantive Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) Ondo State.
According to a press release by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of the State, Richard Olatunde, the appointment of the new vice chancellor takes effect from Wednesday, July 7, 2021 for a one-term of five years.
The press release reads in part, “Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has approved the appointment of Professor Ige E. Olugbenga as the substantive Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko.
“The Governor’s approval is in line with the exercise of his power under Paragraph 3 (8) of Schedule 1 of Adekunle Ajasin University Law.”
A letter conveying the appointment of the new Vice Chancellor, addressed to the University’s Chancellor and Chairman of Council and signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Olugbenga Ale, indicated that Governor Akeredolu approved Prof. Olugbenga’s appointment having been found appointable.
Until his appointment, Professor Ige has been in acting capacity in the role of the Vice Chancellor of the University after the expiration of the former Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun.
Governor Akeredolu assures the University community of his administration’s commitment to prioritizing home-grown eggheads for effective management of the state-owned institution.
Akeredolu, who is serving as the governor for the second term, congratulates the Professor while charging him to work assiduously for the development of the institution.
Until his appointment, Professor Ige has been in acting capacity in the role of the Vice Chancellor of the University after the expiration of the former Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun.
Before the appointment of the new vice chancellor, members of staff and the students were concerned that the institution is yet to produce any indigenous person to become the Vice-Chancellor in its 21 years of existence. AAUA has at least 40 professors.
Since January 2000, five professors have been VC of AAUA, but none of them is a product of the institution. The closest they had was Professor Oluwafemi Mimiko who left AAUA in 2006 and returned to become the VC in 2010 but then as an external from his original institution, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Professor Ige’s counterparts were Professor Oluyemisi Adebowale, the former Deputy VC (Academics); and Professor Temi Emmanuel Ologunorisa from the Federal University of Technology FUTA.
