13 professors jostling to become the next and 11th vice chancellor of UNILORIN

In this piece, ABDULLAHI OLESIN reports that 13 professors  are jostling to become the next and 11th vice chancellor of the University of Ilorin, as the tenure of the incumbent vice chancellor, Prof Sulyman Age AbdulKareem, expires October 15,2022.

No fewer than 13 professors have signified intention to become the 11th vice chancellor of the University of Ilorin.

The tenure of the incumbent and the 10th vice chancellor of the university, Prof Sulyman Age AbdulKareem  will expire on October 15, 2022.

LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that interview had been conducted by a panel saddled with that responsibility for the 13 candidates who were  shortlisted for the plumb job. The interview was held between 6th and 7th September, 2022.

The candidates are Professors  Hassan Saliu, Olanrewaju Adedoyin, AbdulBaqi AbdulRahim, Wahab Egbewole, Olugbenga Mokuolu, AbdulRaheem Mahmoud and Bashiru Raji.

Others are Professors Katibi Ibraheem, Mikhail Buhari, Mohammed Ibrahim, Isaac Adimula, Babatunde Solagberu and Suleiman Ambali.

Apart from Prof. AbdulBaqi AbdulRahim and Prof Babatunde Solagberu who are external candidates from the University of Maiduguri and Lagos State University respectively, other applicants are staff of the university of Ilorin.

Meanwhile, the University of Ilorin Alumni Association has called for a level playing ground that will ensure the emergence of the best candidate for the office of the vice chancellor.

In a statement by its national president,Dr Olawale Fasakin and assistant general secretary,Dr Lai Oparinde, the association urged the institution’s authorities to avoid ethnic and religious sentiment in choosing the next vice chancellor.

It  warned that it would monitor the process to certify compliance with extant rules and ensure that nothing is done to favour any candidate by reason of ethnicity or religion.

The association said its warning became necessary in view of the crises  trailing the selection of new vice chancellors  in the country and to ensure that only the best candidate emerges .

The Candidates At A Glance

Hassan Ajisafe Saliu

Salihu,  a professor of political science is the current President of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA). He rose to the rank of a professor in 2002 and, has served as head of department, coordinator of professional programmes and dean of Faculty for two terms at the University of Ilorin. He has a robust publication profile – 321 publications- and has delivered 140 papers across the world. He is also a consultant to some international organisations and the federal government of Nigeria. He is from Ilorin, Kwara State.

Wahab Egbewole

Egbewole is an active legal practitioner. He was conferred with the coveted rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2018. He had served at different times as acting head of department, sub-dean, acting dean of Law, among others in the university. He was appointed a professor of Jurisprudence and International Law in 2012. He is from Osun State.

Olanrewaju Adedoyin

Adedoyin is a professor of paediatrics and child health since 2011 . He was dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences and presently the provost of the College of Medicine of the university. He hails from Irepodun local government area of  Kwara State.

Abdulrahim AbdulBaqi

AbdulBaqi  is a registered engineer and a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. He rose to the rank of professor of Mechanical Engineering (Energy and Thermo-fluid) in 2012. He had served as acting dean of the Faculty of Engineering and head of the department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maiduguri. He was a visiting associate professor at the University of Ilorin and also served as adjunct professor at the same university. He hails from, Asa local government area  of Kwara State.

Olugbenga Mokuolu

Mokuolu is  a professor of Paediatrics, since 2011. He has a dual-track career development in malaria and neonatology. He has served for years as the technical director, National Malaria Elimination Programme and has consulted extensively for WHO, RBM, UNICEF and many other organisations providing technical support to various countries on accessing resources for malaria control. He was in 2010 given  the prestigious researcher of the year award by the university. Mokuolu is from Kogi State.

Abdulraheem Mahmoud

Mahmoud is a consultant ophthalmologist and professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).He has vast international experience in ophthalmological practice, training and research and he is a past recipient of the University of llorin Researcher of the Year award. He is reputed to be behind the university of Ilorin’s project on vitreo-retinal surgical research. His experiences is said to help in forging international research collaborations with experts across the world.

Bashiru Raji

Raji  is a professor of soil science since 2003 and  the immediate past president, Soil Science Society of Nigeria. He joined the services of the University of Ilorin in 2012 and served as chairman, committee on computer- base test and coordinator of the Department of Forest Resources Management, while on visiting appointment between 2010 and 2012. Prior to this time in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he had served as dean, Students Affairs, director, Academic Planning & Monitoring, assistant dean, and head of department .  He was the second substantive vice chancellor, Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State  between 2012 and 2016.

Ibraheem Katibi

Katibi  is a professor of Medicine and the current Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology and Fellow of the International Society for the Epidemiology and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. He is credited with pioneering the establishment of the first electronic database of normal electrocardiograms in any indigenous African population in collaboration with the University of Glasgow. He became a professor of Medicine in 2011 and had served as in various capacities. He currently doubles as the Research Manager for the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Ilorin and Chairman, Board of survey for the University. He’s from Ilorin, Kwara State.

Mikhail Buhari

Buhari became a professor of pathology in 2012. He was at various times  head of department, member and chair of various University, College and Faculty committees. He rose to become the director of Clinical Affairs and Training of the university in March 2015 and was appointed the acting chief medical director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital(UITH) on the 18th of March 2018. He held the position till the 19th of June, 2018 when he was elected the deputy vice chancellor, Research, Technology and Innovations by the Senate of the University of Ilorin.

Suleiman Ambali

Ambali is a  professor of environmental toxicology and  former dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ilorin. He is the chairman of the University’s Library and Publication committee and also the chairman of the technical sub-c ommittee of the Appointment and Promotions Committee. He hails  from Ilorin, Kwara State.

Babatunde Solagberu

Solagberu is a consultant orthopedic and trauma surgeon at the Lagos State University College of Medicine. He is also a former dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences and head of department, Surgery. He was appointed the provost, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja in 2016. He was a consultant at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital before he joined Lagos State University.

Isaac  Adimula

Adimula, a professor of Physics is the current director, Academic Planning Unit of the university of Ilorin . He has served as the director of the University Network Operating system.

Mohammed  Ibrahim

Ibrahim is a  professor of Mathematics and a former president of Mathematics Association of Nigeria. He is a Fellow of the Association as well as Fellow, Chartered Institute of Strategic Managers and Leaders. He was head of department, Mathematics Department of the university and director, Centre for International Education.