The Governing Council of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has appointed Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole as the institution’s 5th substantive Vice-Chancellor. His appointment was announced on Thursday following a Council meeting held at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) main campus in Abuja.
The announcement was made by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), who disclosed that the selection process was thorough, rigorous, and fully digitalized—the first of its kind in the Nigerian university system. He explained that the digital assessments were complemented with manual verification to ensure accuracy and transparency.
Professor Ogunwole, a renowned scholar and Professor of Soil Science, currently serves as FUOYE’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Strategic Partnerships, Research, Innovation and Linkages. He will assume office officially on 11th February 2026, succeeding the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, whose tenure ends on 10th February 2026.
According to Ndoma-Egba, 64 candidates, including two expatriates, applied for the position. Following a systematic review and security screening by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Ekiti State, the Council approved Professor Ogunwole as the most qualified for the role.
The Council also approved several other key appointments, including the University Librarian, Director of Health Services, Director of Works and Services, and Director of Physical Planning.
Professor Ogunwole holds Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. His professional experience spans nearly 30 years across teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities. He has served in several institutions, including Ahmadu Bello University, Adamawa State University, Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Bowen University, and FUOYE. He previously worked as Manager of Yula Farms, Kaduna (1990–1992) and later served as Director of University Advancement and Linkages at Federal University Dutsin-Ma.
Professor Ogunwole’s appointment marks another milestone in FUOYE’s ongoing efforts to strengthen academic leadership and institutional development.