The University of Ibadan has commenced the process of appointing its 14th Vice-Chancellor, following the release of an official call for applications by the institution’s Registrar, Ganiyu Saliu.
The announcement, published on Thursday through internal and external advertisements, signals the start of a transition process ahead of the expiration of the current Vice-Chancellor’s tenure, Professor Kayode Adebowale.
According to the notice, the position will become vacant on November 1, 2026, marking the end of Adebowale’s single five-year, non-renewable term, which began in 2021.
The university’s Governing Council ratified the decision to initiate the appointment process at its meeting held on March 4, 2026. The council, currently led by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, is expected to oversee the selection of a substantive successor.
The advertisement outlines strict eligibility criteria for prospective candidates, underscoring the university’s emphasis on experience, leadership, and institutional vision.
Applicants must be distinguished scholars holding the rank of professor for at least 10 years and must not exceed the age of 65 by the time they are expected to assume office.
Beyond academic qualifications, the university is seeking a candidate with demonstrable administrative competence and the capacity to provide strategic leadership in a complex academic environment.
The ideal candidate, according to the notice, must possess proven integrity, command respect within both national and international academic communities, and demonstrate the ability to foster cohesion among staff, students, and other stakeholders.
The institution also emphasised the need for a Vice-Chancellor with a clear developmental vision, having excellent physical and mental health and the capacity to attract funding, a critical requirement amid growing financial pressures within Nigeria’s higher education sector.
Adebowale’s emergence as Vice-Chancellor in October 2021 followed a prolonged and closely watched selection process, during which a reconstituted Governing Council was tasked with resolving leadership uncertainties within the university.
