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By Our Correspondent

The National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, noted as fitting choice and well-deserved, the appointment by the 4th University Governing Council, chaired by Professor Zubairu Tojo Abdallah, of Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, as the 4th Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja.

According to Aiyenigba,” Ibileyea renowned scholar, was one of the pioneer academics who piloted the smooth take-off of the university during its formative years, when it was newly established in 2012, along with eight other
federal universities, by the visionary President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who made significant expansion of Nigeria’s federal higher education.

“Prof Ibileye had an impressive record of service to the Federal University Lokoja in a number of strategic academic and administrative positions under two Vice-Chancellors, and demonstrated commendable leadership qualities and earned tremendous goodwill within the university community.

“It is worthy of note that he competed with and lost narrowly to the out-going Vice-Chancellor five years ago.”

Continuing said, ” The new VC has served the university as Head of English and Literary Studies Department, Director; General Studies; Director, Entrepreneurship; Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies; Chairman, Committee of Provosts, Deans and Directors (a committee with direct responsibility to the Vice-Chancellor); Member, University Governing Council, and member of the Council’s Finance and General Purpose Committee.

‘The appointment by the Governing Council was communicated to the university community and the general public by the Registrar and Secretary to Council, Dr. Rebecca Aimiohu Okojie, who noted that Prof Ibileye emerged from a very transparent, merit-driven, and highly competitive selection process that involved eleven (11) distinguished professors who were shortlisted after series of rigorous screening, interactions, and evaluations, in line with extant guidelines for the appointment of principal officers in Nigeria’s federal universities, and came first with a total score of 91.9

“It is quite interesting to note that the appointment process has been reportedly commended by those Professors who contested the position with Prof Ibileye, as the triumph of merit over sentiments, and is widely celebrated as credible and exemplary, and strictly guided by competence, track record, and the long-term interest of the university.

“Prof. Ibileye’s emergence as the
next head of the institution, which has elicited joy within and outside the university community, comes not as a surprise to many people who had earlier seen him as a future potential helmsman of the university, on account of his track record of service, proven capacity, dedication to duty, loyalty to the outgoing Vice-Chancellor and the cause of the university, and his large social capital base and extensive national and international networks. There are high expectations that he will take the institution to greater heights of academic excellence and infrastructural development.”

Prof Ibileye, he further noted, “is widely reputed as a remarkable team leader; a unifier, humble, and jolly good fellow, a human capital development enthusiast; social development engineer, and a great community-spirited man. He will certainly bring to bear his experience, great people’s skills, and innovation to galvanize the entire university community for the next developmental phase of the institution. His great vision which is anchored on the five pillars of: academic excellence, research culture, infrastructure and digital transformation, community partnerships and entrepreneurship, and international and global competitiveness, will propel a phenomenal growth for the institution in the years to come.

“His rich experience and vast academic networks, both locally and internationally, as an external examiner and visiting professor to a number of Nigerian and African universities, such as tbe Rhodes University, South Africa, the University of Ghana, and University of Burundi, among others, will serve him in good stead.

“Professor Ibileye is reputed to have made notable contributions to literary studies and academic excellence in Nigeria and in Africa, particularly. He is a member of many prestigious academic and professional bodies, including the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Pragmatics Association of Nigeria, and the English Scholars Association of Nigeria. His career has spanned about three decades, and he has supervised over thirty doctoral candidates, many masters degree students, and mentored young scholars unto great attainments.

“The new Vice-Chancellor, a great family man with very lovely home, is expected to build on the greatly remarkable legacy of academic culture consolidation, infrastructural development, staff and students’ welfare, expansion of academic programmes, institutional stability, enhanced national relevance of the University achieved by the out-going Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olayemi Durotimi Akinwunmi.

“The people of Ekinrin-Adde, his root and the Okun nation in general, are proud of him, and they trust that he will bring to bear on the job, leadership with integrity, and the cherished OMOLUABI ethos will be his guide on this tour of national duty, and that he will etch his name indelibly on the sands of time.

“I pray God will endue him with the requisite wisdom and the spirit of excellence.”