The atmosphere today, Monday, November 2, 2026, at the Chapel of the Resurrection, University of Ibadan (UI), at the inauguration of Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba, as the 14th Vice-Chancellor of Nigeria’s premier university, was one of jubilation and funfair. The celebrant, Olapegba, arrived with his family at 9 am for the event, which was to commence at 10 am. Those who were around took advantage of his early arrival to pose in different numbers for photographs with him in the vicinity of the Chapel. Even while mobbed by enthusiastic people wanting to take pictures with him inside the church in his front seat, Olapegba remained gracious, humbled, and kept smiling.
UI VC, Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba and his Wife, Dr Temilola Olapegba
On the left side of the church were Olapegba, his nuclear family in the first seat, including his wife, Dr. Temilola Hannah Olapegba, their children, his elder sister, Mrs. Olayinka Balogun, his mother, Senior Apostolic Mother Mrs. Deborah Olapegba, his mother-in-law, extended family, and townsmen from Igboora and other parts of the Oke-Ogun Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Also on that side were the principal officers: the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Juwon Tunde Arotiba, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships), Professor Simisola Olutoyin Akintola; Registrar, Mr. Ganiyu Oke Saliu; Bursar, Mrs. Mariam A. Zakariyah; and University Librarian, Dr. Mercy A. Iroaganachi.
At the right side of the church were the 12th and 13th Vice-Chancellors, Professors Abel Idowu Olayinka and Kayode Adebowale, former Registrar, Moji Ladipo, Chairman, Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council, Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH), Professor Deji Omole, former Chief Executive/Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Professor Segun Ajiboye, Vice Chancellor, Trinity University, Professor Clement O. O Kolawole, and Vice Chancellor, Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN), Professor Christopher Bankole Ndubuisi Ogbogbo, and several other dignitaries.
UI VC, Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba, his Wife, Dr Temilola Olapegba, and their Children
Also in attendance were the Oyo State Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Sarafadeen Alli, traditional rulers from Igboora, Provosts, Deans, Heads of Departments (HOD), Directors, and their deputy directors, political office holders, lecturers, students, members of the university community, family, friends, and well-wishers from home and abroad.
Assorted ladies of different sizes and heights led the different dance steps during the thanksgiving. The institution’s Registrar, Mr Ganiyu Saliu, bailed out the men and took up many of these ladies, who later found out they were not his match.
Two of the emotional moments were, first, when the celebrant fought back tears while presenting his inaugural speech. The second moment was when he announced that his mother, who was on sick bed, discharged herself from the hospital against medical advice, just to be part of her son’s inauguration.
UI VC, Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba and his Family Being Prayed for
Adding an emotional dimension to the inauguration, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Professor Emmanuel Eghosa Osaghae, who spoke on behalf of Olapegba’s teachers, described his emergence as Vice-Chancellor as a moment of fulfilment and pride for those who nurtured him academically.
Osaghae expressed confidence that the new Vice-Chancellor would justify the confidence reposed in him, looking forward to October 31, 2031, when he would deliver his valedictory address at the end of his tenure.
He invoked Psalm 118:22, which describes the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone, to illustrate the remarkable rise of the Department of Psychology, Olapegba’s academic department.
From Right, UI VC’s Mother, Senior Apostolic Mother, Mrs Deborah Olapegba, and his in-Law
According to him, Psychology, which was the youngest department in the Faculty of the Social Sciences at the time, had once been regarded by some as too fragile and financially disadvantaged to command much influence within the faculty. He noted that the department had since grown to become the largest in the faculty, surpassing even his own department, the Department of Political Science, and had now produced the first Vice-Chancellor from the Faculty of the Social Sciences.
Describing Olapegba’s journey as that of an acorn growing into a giant oak, a symbol of leadership, resilience and new beginnings, Osaghae expressed optimism that he would succeed in his new assignment. He concluded by declaring that the new Vice-Chancellor’s emergence was a reward for his dedication and hard work, describing it as God’s fulfilment of a promise in his life.
Olapegba, who formally assumed office today, in his inaugural address, unveiled an ambitious reform agenda aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s premier university as a globally competitive centre of academic excellence, cutting-edge research, technological innovation and national development. According to him, his administration would prioritise artificial intelligence, digital transformation, improved staff welfare, student-centred services, research development, international partnerships and sustainable funding as part of efforts to move the institution from its traditional legacy of excellence to a new era of transformation. He stressed that the institution must preserve its historic identity while adapting to the demands of a rapidly changing world, particularly the technological and intellectual transformations reshaping higher education.
Well Wishers Praying for UI VC’s Family
He described the inauguration as more than a change of leadership, saying it represented an opportunity for institutional renewal, reflection, and collective determination to build a stronger university. According to him, the University of Ibadan, having been Nigeria’s first university, carries a responsibility that goes beyond its historical status, adding, “Being first is a historical fact. Remaining relevant is a continuing shared responsibility.”
Olapegba said his administration would build on the achievements of previous vice-chancellors rather than discard their contributions, stressing that institutional progress required continuity, critical evaluation and the courage to introduce necessary reforms. “We shall preserve what works, repair what requires attention, reform what has become inadequate, and create what the future requires,” he said.
A major feature of Olapegba’s agenda is the integration of artificial intelligence into the university’s teaching, research and administrative operations. He said the university could no longer afford to remain a passive consumer of emerging technologies but must position itself to become a creator, researcher, regulator and responsible user of artificial intelligence.
In the Front from the Right; Prof. Kayode Adebowale, Chief (Mrs) Moji Ladipo, and Prof Abel Idowu Olayinka
He promised to develop an AI-ready university through improved digital infrastructure, smart classrooms, modern laboratories, digital libraries, improved learning-management systems and enhanced digital research capacity. He also emphasised the need to equip both academic and non-academic staff, as well as students, with the necessary AI knowledge and skills.
The Vice-Chancellor, however, cautioned that the adoption of artificial intelligence must not undermine academic integrity, explaining that technology should complement human intelligence, improve learning and expand research opportunities. Beyond AI, he said his administration would pursue comprehensive digitalisation of the university’s operations, including teaching, research, finance, student services, records, communication and decision-making. He maintained that modern university administration required reliable institutional data rather than decisions based solely on intuition.
Addressing concerns surrounding the welfare of university employees, Olapegba said staff welfare would be treated as an institutional priority rather than a peripheral administrative issue, arguing that a university could not reasonably expect exceptional productivity from employees whose basic professional and human needs were consistently neglected.
From Left, Dr Sarafa Agbogun, Olapegba’s Teacher, Prof Peter Olamakinde Olapegba and his Wife, Dr Temilola Olapegba
He promised to explore practical ways of improving staff welfare within available resources while promoting professional development, mentorship, career advancement, fairness, work-life balance and accountability. He also pledged to build an institutional environment where employees could work with dignity, contribute meaningfully and look forward to fulfilling professional careers.
For students, he promised a more responsive and service-oriented university administration, describing them as the central reason for the institution’s existence. He said the university would adopt a student-as-client approach to service delivery without compromising the intellectual rigour and academic standards for which the institution is known.
Under the proposed arrangement, attention would be given to students’ access to information, responsiveness of administrative systems, accessibility of lecturers, adequacy of classrooms and laboratories, reliability of digital services, campus safety and preparation for employment. He said the university must produce graduates who possess not only academic knowledge but also critical thinking, effective communication, sound judgement, competence and good character.
Oyo State Governorship Candidate of APC, Senator Sarafadeen Alli
Urging students to read beyond lecture notes, ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions respectfully, embrace technology and develop the capacity to create, innovate and lead, Olapegba cautioned them against allowing technological sophistication to replace character, observing that while academic qualifications and professional competence could open doors, character remained essential to earning and retaining public trust.
On research, the Vice-Chancellor said the university would intensify efforts to become more research-intensive, with particular emphasis on producing knowledge capable of addressing Nigeria’s development challenges. He promised to strengthen researchers’ grant-writing capacity, improve the operations of the Research Management Office, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and explore partnerships with universities, industries and other institutions to secure research funding.
He said the objective was not merely to increase academic publications but to generate research findings that would translate into practical solutions and improve people’s lives. He said his administration would pursue improved international visibility and global competitiveness through stronger research impact, citations, international collaborations, academic reputation, employer engagement, graduate outcomes and sustainability.
Recognising the financial demands of running a modern university, Olapegba said his administration would pursue diversified and sustainable revenue sources to reduce overdependence on government funding. He identified research grants, endowments, philanthropy, alumni contributions, industry partnerships, consultancy services, knowledge commercialisation, intellectual property, professional education, executive education and international partnerships as potential sources of additional revenue.
In what could become one of the administration’s significant public engagement initiatives, Olapegba announced plans to establish an institutional platform known as the Ibadan Public Square. He said the initiative would restore and strengthen the university’s historic position as an intellectual meeting point where difficult national and societal questions could be examined through evidence, reason, scholarship and respectful dialogue.
The proposed platform would bring together academics, policymakers, business leaders, civil society organisations, community representatives, professionals and students to discuss issues confronting Nigeria and Africa. It would feature regular public lectures and dialogue series, policy roundtables, public evidence forums and research-industry engagement platforms. The university would also produce accessible policy briefs through which research findings could be translated into practical options for policymakers and public institutions.
On campus security and infrastructure, the Vice-Chancellor promised to develop a more dynamic safety architecture combining technology, surveillance, improved lighting, communication, community vigilance, emergency response and institutional coordination. He said a conducive academic environment also required attention to energy systems, water supply, waste management, internet connectivity and the preservation of the university’s environmental character. He disclosed that his administration would explore waste-to-wealth opportunities as part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability.
Olapegba also challenged the university to become more directly involved in addressing Nigeria’s economic, social and technological problems. He identified youth unemployment, insecurity, public health challenges, food insecurity, climate vulnerability, infrastructure deficits, educational inequality, governance challenges and technological dependence among the country’s major concerns. The VC maintained that although the university could not single-handedly solve these problems, it had a responsibility to contribute meaningfully to finding enduring solutions.
On university administration, Olapegba pledged to operate with integrity, transparency, fairness, accountability, due process, and respect for institutional procedures, adding that his administration would strengthen the university’s committee system while embracing modern, data-driven, and evidence-based governance.
Reflecting on his personal journey, Olapegba recalled that when he joined the University of Ibadan on June 1, 2000, his ambition was to become a professor of Social Psychology. More than two decades later, he has risen to lead the institution where he began his academic career.
He expressed gratitude to God, the Governing Council led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Chief Adebisi Akande, and members of the university community for their roles in his emergence. He particularly commended the Governing Council for what he described as a peaceful and transparent vice-chancellorship selection process and acknowledged the contributions of his predecessor, Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, as well as former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka. He also appreciated his family, including his wife, his children, parents and mother-in-law, alongside friends, colleagues, religious leaders and members of his team.
Concluding his address, the new Vice-Chancellor called on the entire university community to embrace a new social contract built on excellence, integrity, collegiality, service and innovation. He said the success of his administration would depend on collective commitment rather than the efforts of the Vice-Chancellor alone. “Together, let us build not only a stronger University of Ibadan, but a university worthy of its history, confident in its future, and faithful to its responsibility to Nigeria and the world,” he said.
In his sermon, the Chapel Chaplain, Ven. (Dr) V. I. Oladele, who named the new VC as “Ilufemiloye 1” of UI because of the seamless process that brought him into office, urged the new VC to avoid being distracted in the course of discharging his statutory responsibilities. He listed those that can distract him to include the people he is leading, either through too much criticism or praise, the government, close allies, and the nation.
Oladele further urged the VC not to be greedy and to be modest, calling on his family members and his associates not to put unnecessary financial pressure on him if they want him to succeed. He said, “Definitely, office will expose you to many things. Remember, you have a testimony to protect because you are a child of God. I can vouch for you till this morning that you are a child of God.”
