Assuredly, the institution will attain greater academic excellence, growth, and global competitiveness under his watch
That was how the National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba described the appointment of Prof. Gbenga Solomon Ibileye as the fourth Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State.
The appointment was confirmed by the fourth Governing Council of the university, chaired by Prof. Zubairu Tojo Abdallah. Aiyenigba also said that it is a ‘fitting choice and well-deserved’ appointment.
A renowned scholar, Ibileye was one of the pioneer academics involved in the smooth take-off of the university when it was established in 2012, along with eight other federal universities.
Ibileye has an impressive record of service at the university holding strategic academic and administrative positions under two Vice-Chancellors, and demonstrated commendable leadership qualities which earned him tremendous goodwill within the university community. He competed with, and lost narrowly, to the out-going Vice-Chancellor five years ago.
The new VC has served the university as Head of English and Literary Studies Department, Director of General Studies, Director of Entrepreneurship. Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies, Chairman of the Committee of Provosts, member of the Governing Council, and member of the Council’s Finance and General Purpose Committee.
The appointment by the Governing Council was communicated by the Registrar/Secretary to Council, Dr. Rebecca Aimiohu Okojie, who noted that Ibileye emerged from a very transparent, merit-driven, and highly competitive selection process that involved 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. Ibileye came first with a total score of 91.9
The appointment process has been commended by the professors who contested the position with Ibileye. They described the outcome as a triumph of merit over sentiments.
Ibileye’s emergence as the next head of the institution came not as a surprise to many people who had seen him as a future helmsman of the university. This is 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.
Ibileye 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.
Ibileye 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.
A great family man with very lovely home, the new Vice-Chancellor 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 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.
Aiyenigba is the National Publicity Secretary of SDP, and Secretary of the Elders Council, Okun Development Association
