The Governing Council of Ajayi Crowther University (ACU), Oyo, has appointed Professor Ebunoluwa Olufemi Oduwole as the first female Vice-Chancellor of the institution.
It was stated in a press release from the university that Professor Oduwole will bring on board an exceptional wealth of experience in university administration, spanning over 39 years of service in the Nigerian university system.
She will succeed Professor Timothy Adebayo, the current Vice-Chancellor, whose five-year tenure will come to an end in a few months.
Between 1983 and 2002, Oduwole obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan; a Master of Science in Bioethics from a consortium of three European universities.
The consortium of three European universities included Katholieke University, Leuven (Belgium), Radboud University, Nijmegen (Netherlands), and the University of Padova (Italy). She later got her Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan.
Oduwole joined Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in 1985 and rose through the ranks to become a Professor of African Philosophy, with specialisation in Ethics, Bioethics, Philosophy of Religion, Gender Studies, and African Studies.
Professor Oduwole’s administrative track record is both rich and impactful. She has held numerous leadership positions at OOU.
Between 2016 and 2018, she served as the only Deputy Vice-Chancellor to simultaneously oversee both academic and administrative portfolios of the university.
From 2018 to 2020, Oduwole served as Vice-Chancellor, (Administration) of the university. In 2003, she was appointed Head of Department of Philosophy, OOU, a position she occupied until 2006 when she rose to the position of Dean of the Faculty of Ars.
In addition, she is an active member of the Senate and Governing Council of OOU, and has served on several strategic committees within the university system.
Her administrative influence extends beyond OOU, having served on various committees at the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Lagos State University, and Osun State University.
Professor Oduwole is also a member of the Governing Council of Ajayi Crowther University and sits on the Church of Nigeria Theological Accreditation and Regulatory Board.
With a vast academic and administrative knowledge in university management, her appointment as Vice-Chancellor of ACU promises a new chapter of visionary leadership and historic milestone for the institution.