CESVO Inducts FUL Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, into Hall of Fame, Confers Top Ethics Awards on University

The Centre for Ethics and Self-Value Orientation (CESVO) has conferred its highest leadership honour on the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL), Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, in recognition of his exemplary leadership, integrity, and unwavering commitment to ethical governance in public service.

The honour also included his formal induction into the prestigious CESVO Hall of Fame, which hosts distinguished national leaders including senators, captains of industry, and chief executives of major institutions.

The investiture ceremony was held on November 26, 2025, at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room, Federal University Lokoja. The event also featured the presentation of multiple corporate ethics awards to the University, reinforcing FUL’s growing reputation as one of the most ethically compliant federal institutions in Nigeria.

In his address, the Executive Director of CESVO, Ethicist Prince Salih Musa Yakubu, explained that the honours were the outcome of a rigorous, independent, and undercover assessment conducted over four years. He stated that Professor Akinwumi consistently met and exceeded CESVO’s national indicators for ethical university administration.

According to Prince Yakubu, the evaluation covered key governance areas including public accessibility, SERVICOM compliance, emotional intelligence, participatory management, ethical uprightness, due process, federal character compliance, fiscal discipline, innovation, quality assurance, staff and student discipline, project execution, and institutional accountability.

He further disclosed that CESVO’s methods included opinion polling, project tracking, structured interviews, institutional monitoring, and digital visibility assessments, all of which consistently portrayed the Vice-Chancellor as a transparent, accountable, and integrity-driven administrator.

Under Professor Akinwumi’s leadership, Federal University Lokoja has recorded notable improvements in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, academic programme development, resource management, and graduate employability. CESVO also commended the administration’s strong focus on staff welfare, student support systems, examination integrity, and strict adherence to due process.

As part of the corporate recognitions, Federal University Lokoja received the following awards:

Certificate of Credence, ranking the University first overall as the most ethically responsible federal establishment in Kogi State for 2025; and

Corporate Ethics and Integrity Compliance Award, ranking FUL first in fiscal discipline among shortlisted federal universities nationwide.

In addition, principal officers of the University, including the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellors and the Head of Protocol and Public Relations, were issued Letters of Commendation for outstanding professional ethics and administrative efficiency.

Professor Akinwumi was also decorated with the Conscience Leadership and Accountability Ambassadorial Award (CLEA) 2025 in recognition of his consistency in value-based leadership, commitment to national interest, observance of federal character principles, and institutional accountability. The honour was accompanied by an Ethical Conduct and Leadership Compliance Certificate and formal authorization to use the CLEA honorific title.

Prince Yakubu noted that Professor Akinwumi’s administrative record at both the Federal University Lokoja and during his earlier service at Nasarawa State University reflects rare consistency in ethical governance, institutional discipline, and administrative excellence.

In his response, Professor Akinwumi disclosed that he had previously declined several awards from different organisations. He described service to humanity as a divine responsibility and an expression of personal faith and principles. He, however, expressed gratitude to CESVO for its transparent and impartial evaluation process and charged the organisation to remain steadfast in promoting ethical leadership across Nigeria.

The Registrar of the University, Dr. Rebecca Okojie, who also received an award, thanked CESVO for recognising what she described as verifiable, evidence-based leadership. Speaking on behalf of the University’s principal officers, she expressed appreciation for both the institutional and personal recognitions accorded the management team.

The CESVO honours to Professor Akinwumi and Federal University Lokoja stand as strong endorsements of the current administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and institutional excellence, while reinforcing the University’s emerging status as a model of ethical leadership in Nigeria’s higher education system.