Former University of Ibadan (UI) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka, has commended the outgoing 13th Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale, for his leadership over the past five years, recalling the controversy that nearly stalled his emergence in 2021.
Olayinka, who served as the university’s 12th Vice-Chancellor between 2015 and 2020, gave the commendation on Monday, October 26, 2026, during a special meeting of the university’s Senate held in honour of Adebowale at the Distance Learning Centre’s new ultra-modern auditorium, Sasa Road, Ibadan.
Reflecting on the circumstances surrounding Adebowale’s emergence, Olayinka recalled that the process of appointing a new vice-chancellor had been truncated a year earlier, before the eventual selection in October 2021.
He said faceless protesters had held the Pro-Chancellor, members of the Selection Board and shortlisted candidates hostage for several hours inside the Adeoye Lambo Senate Chambers in an attempt to frustrate the appointment process.
Olayinka, however, described the outcome as a remarkable turn of events, saying the candidate who had faced opposition had eventually become a source of pride to the institution.
“The stone nearly rejected by the builder six years ago has pleasantly turned out to be the cornerstone of the solid UI Mansion. To God alone be all the glory,” he said.
The former vice-chancellor said the special meeting, organised as part of the end of Adebowale’s tenure, was also an occasion to celebrate the University of Ibadan Senate, which he described as the institution’s highest academic body.
Speaking from his experience of observing transitions between vice-chancellors over at least three decades, Olayinka said he doubted whether any previous end-of-tenure celebration at the university had been as elaborate as the one organised for Adebowale.
He stressed the importance of the Senate to the strength and academic standing of a university, recalling a presentation by the late Professor Emeritus Nimi Briggs, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, at the university’s first Senate retreat on December 6, 2019.
According to Olayinka, Briggs had emphasised the importance of the Senate, noting that a university’s quality was closely linked to the effectiveness of its highest academic body.
He added that universities, like the Church and the Army, were conservative institutions that defended their traditions and customs, noting that UI Senate had consistently discharged its responsibilities creditably over several decades.
Olayinka also highlighted what he described as a distinctive feature of the University of Ibadan’s academic appointments and promotions system.
He explained that the institution’s Appointments and Promotions Committee for academic staff was largely a committee of the Senate, comprising all deans, an additional representative from each faculty and representatives of the University Council.
He said the arrangement effectively made appointments and promotions a joint exercise between the Senate and Council, adding that the model had served the institution well over the years.
According to him, Adebowale presided over the process in the spirit of being “the first among equals”.
Praising the outgoing vice-chancellor’s performance, Olayinka described him as “a VC with a CV” and said members of the university community had every reason to be proud of his achievements.
He disclosed that he had maintained a close advisory relationship with Adebowale throughout his tenure, offering guidance whenever necessary while allowing him to take responsibility for his decisions.
“One point I am proud of is that I never for once criticised him publicly,” Olayinka said, attributing the cordial relationship partly to Adebowale’s humility.
He added that public criticism by immediate predecessors had been a source of misunderstanding in some Nigerian universities, expressing satisfaction that the University of Ibadan had largely avoided such difficulties.
Olayinka wished Adebowale success in his future endeavours, expressing confidence that the outgoing vice-chancellor’s best years were still ahead of him.
“Your best is yet to come. The rest of your life shall be the best of your life,” he said.
