Succession race for the office of the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, has intensified as the former Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Prof. Remi Raji-Oyelade, signifies his interest to run.
The university don expressed his intention in a message addressed to members of the university community on Tuesday, July 7.
The current VC of UI, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, who is the 12th in the history of the institition, is expected to complete his five-year tenure on December 1.
Raji-Oyelade wrote in his message, “Honourable colleagues, this is to inform you that at exactly 15:10hr of today, July 7, 2020, I submitted my application document for the post of the Vice-Chancellor of our University.
“I use this medium to appreciate you for your support, prayers and advice. In your inspiration is our strength; in your strength is our resolve to give the best to the University. I have always enjoyed your great goodwill.
“I have served our prestigious University in different positions of responsibility. Here, therefore, is to seek your strategic support and prayers as I opt to serve the University as the VC.
“Here is to thank all those who have engaged me in re-thinking set goals and strategies of achieving them for UI. In time ahead, your resolve, drive and collaboration will be of essence. God has indeed been faithful. May His blessings be upon you all.”
Raji-Oyelade, literary icon and award-winning poet, had taught at the Rivers State College of Education, Rumuolumeni; St. Andrew’s College of Education, Oyo; Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye; and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife before joining his alma mater as Lecturer II in 1995. He was promoted to full professorship in the university’s Department of English in 2007.
He served in various academic and administrative positions such as Sub-Dean (General) Faculty of Arts, 1997-1999; Sub-Dean (Postgraduate) Faculty of Arts, 2002-2003; acting Head of Department (English), 2009-2012; Dean of Faculty of Arts, October 2012- July 2015; Resource Person for the University of Ibadan Research Foundation (2013 till date), and Grants Writer for the University MacArthur Foundation (2016 till date).
He was at various times Chairman, Faculty of Arts Information Technology Committee; Chairman, Business Committee of Senate; and Member, Senate Truth Committee. He has had over 20 international scholarship awards, including the Visiting Scholar Fellowship at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, USA (2001); City of Stockholm Writing Award (2005); University of Cambridge African Scholar (October, 2005-March 2006); and the Georg Forster Fellow at Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany (2006-2007), among others.
He was honoured along four other international scholars with the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Alumni Award for the year 2017. He remains the only Humboldtian Professor at Ibadan to be so honoured since the prize was instituted in 2009 for scholars in over 140 countries across the world.
Raji-Oyelade, whose core areas of strength include mentoring of early career scholars across disciplines and coordinating of projects and grants for UI, was recently installed by His Imperial Majesty, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, as the Mogaji of Adegboro Compound, Ibadan.
He was elected member, UI Governing Council, in July 2019.
