From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Governing Council of the University of Ibadan (UI) under the chairmanship of John Odigie-Oyegun has cancelled the previous process of appointing a substantive vice chancellor for the university.
The council has, therefore, approved the commencement of a fresh process to appoint a substantive vice chancellor for the premier university.
The previous process, which started under the former vice chancellor, Idowu Olayinka, was truncated based on petitions to the National University Commission (NUC) and the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja over perceived irregularities.
At the time the process was suspended by NUC, Kayode Adebowale was the deputy vice chancellor (administration), and Adebola Ekanola, was the deputy vice chancellor (academic) of the institution.
But Ekanola emerged the acting vice chancellor after a voting session by the institution’s Senate. Adebowale, who was the most senior officer of the university, did not emerge the acting vice chancellor because he was one of the contestants, jostling to become the vice chancellor of the university.
Registrar of the institution, Olubunmi Faluyi, who doubles as secretary to the governing council, in a statement by the Director of Public Communications of the university, Tunji Oladejo, took the decision at a meeting on Friday, July 2, 2021.
“This is to inform the university community and the public that, at its meeting on July 2, 2021, the governing council considered, among other things, the appointment of a substantive vice chancellor for the university.
“Council decided to cancel the previous exercise and start the entire process afresh. Consequently, council directed that the position of the vice chancellor be re-advertised immediately.
The directorate of Public Communication has been directed to do the needful in this regard,” she said in the statement.