Prof. Gbenga Ibileye Hands Over as Provost, FUL Postgraduate College; Prof. Rotimi Ajayi Assumes Leadership

The College of Postgraduate Studies (CPGS), Federal University Lokoja (FUL), on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, witnessed a smooth transition of leadership as Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye bowed out of office after a successful tenure.

Professor Ibileye, who first served as Dean before becoming the Pioneer Provost of the College in 2021, officially handed over to his successor, Professor Matthew Ola-Rotimi Ajayi.

In his valedictory address, Professor Ibileye expressed gratitude to the University community for the support received throughout his tenure, describing his four years of service as both fulfilling and impactful. He lauded the steady growth of the College, recalling that he inherited nine academic programmes with very low enrolment but leaves behind a vibrant postgraduate community with over 1,500 active students.

The outgoing Provost highlighted key achievements, including the expansion to more than 48 academic and professional programmes spread across five Faculties and over twenty Departments. He credited this growth to improved publicity, streamlined admissions processes, new programme introductions, and enhanced service delivery. Notably, some programmes are now run in partnership with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Abuja, further broadening the College’s academic reach.

Professor Ibileye expressed confidence in his successor’s ability to consolidate on these gains, urging Professor Ajayi to sustain the culture of excellence, integrity, and innovation that has come to define postgraduate education at FUL.

Professor Ajayi, in his acceptance remarks, pledged to build on the solid foundation laid by his predecessor and assured the University community of his commitment to raising the profile of the College both nationally and globally.

The leadership change marks a new chapter for the College of Postgraduate Studies, positioning Federal University Lokoja as an emerging hub for advanced learning and cutting-edge research in Nigeria.