No fewer than 16 Professors have indicated interest in the position of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan.
Our source gathered that the tenure of the incumbent Vice Chancellor, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka comes to an end in November, 2020.
The new Vice Chancellor, when elected, will assume office for a single tenure of five (5) years on December 1st 2020.
Our correspondent, however, gathered yesterday that 16 Professors have indicated interest in succeeding the incumbent.
Those who have indicated interest and have been canvassing for votes from various stakeholders in the university included Professors Ta-hatu Kolapo Hamzat, Babatunde Lawal Salako, Babatunde Lateef Adeleke, Razaq Olatunde Rom Kalilu, Hakeem Fawehimi, Raheem Adebayo Lawal and Adeyinka Abideen Aderinto.
Others are Professors Clement Olusegun Kolawole, Olusegun George Ademowo, Emiola Olapade-Olaola, Oladele Olatunde Layiwola, Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, Temitope Alonge, Anthony Kadoye Onifade, Ebenezer Olatunde Farombi and Aderemi Raji Oyelade.
The Tide gathered yesterday that the 16 candidates are expected to address stakeholders in the university at a debate tagged “the Voice of UI VC: Who is next” billed to take place on Thursday via zoom.
The University of Ibadan was founded in 1948, and since its creation, no indigene of Ibadan has held the position of Vice Chancellor.
Following this development, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) appealed to President Buhari, who is the visitor to the university to address what it described as “marginalisation”.
The CCII President, Adeyemi Soladoye who recently addressed a press conference in Ibadan, called on Buhari to appoint one of the qualified professors from Ibadan as the Vice Chancellor of the 72-year-old university.
He described as unfortunate that by this year, the University of Ibadan is 72 years old and has produced 14 Nigerian Vice-Chancellors between 1960 and today but no Ibadan man has ever emerged as the Vice-Chancellor of the university.
He appealed to President Buhari to ensure that one out of the four indigenes is picked to succeed the current Vice Chancellor whose tenure expires in November this year.