Prof. Adenike Oladiji becomes the first female Vice Chancellor in FUTA

The Governing Council has nominated Professor (Mrs) Adenike Temidayo Oladiji as the new Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA). The Council picked 20 candidates for interview from the 27 male and two female candidates who applied for the position at the start of the process.

There were 19 candidates interviewed, with one of the shortlisted candidates not showing up. Following the interview, the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board nominated three candidates for appointment, in accordance with the process’s current regulations. Because the three recommended candidates’ scores were so close (a difference of 0.1 percent), Council decided to put it to a vote, and Professor Oladiji came out on top, earning her position. Under current legislation, the Governing Council of Universities is responsible for appointing Vice-Chancellors of Universities.

Profile of Prof. Adenike Oladiji

She has worked for the university system for almost 29 years. She has served on practically all University Committees as Chairman and Member in various capacities. She has also worked as a Head of Department, Sub Dean of Faculty, Deputy Director, Center for International Education, Director, Center for Research and Development and In-House Training, Director, Central Research Laboratory, Dean, School of Basic Medical Sciences (Kwara State University), Dean, School of Life Sciences, and Member, Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, and Crown Hill University, Eiyenkorin, Ilorin.

On April 27, 1968, Oladiji was born. Between 1972 and 1977, she attended Christ Anglican School, Ijomu-Oro, Iludun Oro Nursery and Primary School, and between 1977 and 1982, she attended St. Claire’s Anglican Grammar School, Offa, both in Kwara State. She graduated from the University of Ilorin with a B.Sc. Biochemistry, Second Class Upper Division degree in 1988, an MSc. Biochemistry degree in 1991, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biochemistry in 1997. She started as an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Ilorin in July 1992 and was promoted to Professor in September 2011.

She is a Nigerian Academy of Science Fellow as well as a Fellow of the Nigerian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She has served on numerous scientific committees at the National Universities Commission, NUC, and the Tertiary Education Fund, TETFund, as well as being an external examiner at over 20 universities in Nigeria and abroad. She is a member of the West African Research and Innovation Management Association (WARIMA), the American Society of Nutrition, the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OSWD), the Science Association of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Society for Experimental Biology.

She is happily married with three children.

Professor Oladiji takes over from Professor Joseph Fuwape, who has served his term.