Gbenro Adesina
A twist has been introduced to the contest of the position of the 13th Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), as the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebola Ekanola has joined the race.
Ekanola is perceived in some quarters as the most unlikely person to join the race as he is considered a good ally of the Institution’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Kayode Adebowale, whose candidacy has been consistently rejected by the non-academic staff and a powerful group of academic staff.
With this development, Adebowale, as a product, will be most difficult to sell for the position because he may have lost the support and loyalty of those who sponsored him to contest for the enviable position.
Among his strong supporters is Ekanola himself, who is now contesting with him.
With this development, there is a strong indication that the battle line is now drawn between Ekanola and a former DVC Academic, Professor Abideen Adeyinka Aderinto of the Department of Sociology.
Following these two strong contenders are candidates from the College of Medicine, who cannot be undermined.
Other aspirants in the contest are: Olusegun Ademowo of the Institute of Medical, Research and Training (IMRAT); Ebenezer Farombi of Biochemistry; Babatunde Salako of department of Medicine, Alonge of department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa of the department of Surgery, Aderemi Raji-Oyelade of English department; Oladele Layiwola of the Institute of African Studies and Clement Kolawole of the department of Arts and Social Science Education.
Three applicants from other universities, who are in the race are: Professors Mimiko of the department of International Relations, Obafemi Awolowo University; Hakeem Fawehinmi of the University of Port Harcourt; and Rasaq Kalilu of the department of Fine and Applied Arts, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.
Expected to join the race are candidates that the search team constituted for that purpose will fetch from other universities.
