Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale of the Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan (UI), on Thursday, was named the 13th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the institution.
Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the Chairman Governing council, around 8:00 p.m. on Thursday announced that Adebowale defeated the incumbent acting vice-chancellor, Adebola Ekanola, and 14 others in a keenly contested process at the Senate chambers of the institution.
Adebowale was first appointed as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) by Council in June 2018 and re-appointed for a second term in June 2020.
It was gathered that crisis in the institution started in 2020 when the indigenes of Ibadan land under the aegis of Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) insisted that it was time for the host town to produce a VC who is an indigene of the town after 73 years of its existence on their land.
Due to inability to resolve these crises, Professor Babatunde Ekanola of the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts was appointed by the Senate as the acting VC in November, 2020 for the period of six months, and his tenure was extended in June for another 6 months.
The process, however, commenced afresh after a decision to restart the VC selection process was reached at a meeting of the university Council presided over by its Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
Born on January 11, 1962 in Ibadan, Adebowale attended UI for his first degree in June 1984; M.Sc degree in Industrial Chemistry in September, 1985 and Ph.D in Industrial Chemistry in October, 1991.
Adebowale is married to Dr. ‘Yemisi Ajibola Adebowale and the marriage is blessed with three children: Temitayo, Ayobami and Ayomitunde.