Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved the appointment of Professor Tomola Obamuyi as the new Vice-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko.

The appointment followed the recommendation of the university’s Governing Council after Obamuyi emerged the top candidate among 15 contenders interviewed by the institution’s Joint Council and Senate Selection Board.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.

Obamuyi, a professor of Banking and Finance, will succeed the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olugbenga Ige.

According to the statement, the appointment was made “following the due recommendation of the Governing Council of the institution, chaired by Dr Tunji Abayomi, in line with the University’s Act and extant regulations.”

Obamuyi has served as Head of the Department of Banking and Finance at AAUA and was the first substantive Dean of the School of Management Technology at the Federal University of Technology, Akure.

He was named the Best Professor of Banking and Finance in Africa for 2015 by the Africa Education Leadership Awards in Mauritius and has also served on National Universities Commission programme accreditation teams.

He was also Chairperson and Subject Expert of the Review Panel for Namibia’s National Council for Higher Education.

According to the statement, the new vice-chancellor has presented academic papers at conferences in several countries, including Finland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, Ireland, Ghana, Zambia, Uganda, Ethiopia, India and the United States.

“Obamuyi will bring to the office decades of academic excellence, administrative experience, and a strong record of research and institutional development,” the statement read.

It added, “Governor Aiyedatiwa expressed confidence that Professor Obamuyi’s wealth of experience will consolidate the gains recorded by AAUA and take the university to greater heights in teaching, research, and community service.

“The Governor urged the new Vice-Chancellor to uphold the core values of AAUA, while fostering peace, innovation, and collaboration among staff, students, and stakeholders.

“He further assured that the Ondo State Government remains committed to providing the necessary support for AAUA to maintain its status as one of Nigeria’s leading state universities.”