Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has approved the appointment of Professor Joseph Babatola Ayodele as the new Vice-Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

Ayodele, a Professor of Education Management, is until the appointment, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the university.

His appointment as EKSU VC was announced via a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Yinka Oyebode, on Monday, August 12, 2024.

Oyebode noted that Prof. Ayodele’s appointment as EKSU Vice-Chancellor takes effect from August 20, 2024.

He will take over from Prof. Edward Olanipekun, whose tenure as EKSU Vice-Chancellor ends on August 19.

Oyebode quoted Governor Oyebanji, who is the Visitor to EKSU, as urging the new Vice-Chancellor to bring his wealth of experience as an academic and a seasoned administrator to bear in the bid to further reposition the university as a world-class institution of learning, just as he wished him a successful tenure.

Oyebanji also thanked the outgoing EKSU Vice-Chancellor for his service to the university and wished him success in his future endeavours.

Oyebanji: I’ll make EKSU world-class varsity

Prof. Ayodele was born in Ikere-Ekiti, Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State on August 13, 1963.

He attended Annunciation School, Ikere-Ekiti from 1974-1979. He later proceeded to the Ondo State College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti for the Nigeria Certificate in Education between 1982 and 1985.

Ayodele obtained a First Class Bachelor of Education (B.ed) degree in Economics from the Ondo State University, (now Ekiti State University), Ado- Ekiti in 1992.

He also bagged a Master’s degree in Education Management from the University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan in 1997; and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education Management from same university in 2000.

Prof. Ayodele started his lecturing career as a Graduate Assistant at Ondo State University (now Ekiti State University), Ado-Ekiti, in 1995 and rose through the ranks to the position of a professor in 2012.

He had served EKSU in different capacities, including Assistant Director, Affiliate Programmes, (2006-2008); Acting Head, Department of Educational Foundations and Management (2010-2012); Dean, Faculty of Education (2018-2020); Director, Directorate of Continuing Education Programmes/Distance Learning (2020-2022); and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) 2022-date.

The Star