Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved the appointment of Professor Razaq Olatunde Rom Kalilu as the substantive Vice Chancellor of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Abdulwaheed Adelabu and made available to newsmen.
The statement stated that Kalilu is to serve as a substantive vice-chancellor for a five-year term with effect from June 12, 2024, adding that the government looks forward to his hard work, diligence, and professionalism in realising its mission for the institution.
Kalilu, a well-established figure in the world of art and art history joined the service of LAUTECH on September 1, 1992, and was pronounced a Professor of Arts and Arts History in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, 24 years ago on October 1, 1999, and was appointed as acting vice-chancellor on 12 June 2023.
Kalilu, an alumnus of the prestigious University of Ife and the University of Ibadan, is a polymath and specialist in Form and Material Technology. His administrative skills and leadership experiences are intense and ambidextrous.
Among the numerous academic leadership positions he held are Head of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, 1998 – 2003; Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, 2003 – 2006, and 2012 – 2016; Chairman, the Committee of Deans in 2004; 2004 – 2006 the Chairman, Committee of Deans and Provosts, and Deputy vice-chancellor of the institution, 2006 – 2008.
Kalilu is a recipient of many national and international prizes and awards, which include the Gold Medal in the 1978 – 1979, All Africa Painting Contest, elected Membership of the New York Academy of Sciences in recognition of his contributions to Science and Technology, Merit Prize in International Postage Stamp Design Contest in 1997, the Outstanding People of the 20th Century Outstanding Achievement Medal in 2000 and the Twentieth Century Achievement Award in 2001.
His other prizes and awards include his selection as one of the 1000 Leaders of World Influence for the 21st Century in 2000 and the distinguished and exceptional Universal Award of Accomplishment in 2000. Furthermore, he received the Development in Nigeria Merit Award in 2006.
Kalilu is a member of several academic and intellectual organisations, including the Australian Ceramic Society and the International Association of Astronomical Artists, and a Fellow of the Society of Nigerian Artists.
