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By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, has appointed Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, as the new Vice Chancellor of the institution.
This was contained in a statement released on Thursday by the institution’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Owelle Oscar Udoji.
According to Udoji, the Council at its meeting held on December 7, 2021, flagged off the processes for the appointment of a new Vice Chancellor who is expected to assume duties on June 7, 2022.
“In line with approval of the Council, the vacancy was widely advertised in compliance with relevant Statutes and Acts guiding appointment to the position.
“At a Special Meeting of 14th February, 2022, the Council perused the Curriculum Vitae of all the twenty (20) applicants who indicated interest in the position. At the end of the exercise, sixteen (16) of them were shortlisted, having met the advertised criteria.
“The interaction with the candidates began on Monday, 14th March, 2022, and ended on Wednesday, 16th March, 2022. All the sixteen candidates appeared before the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board, with fifteen of them present physically and one, at his request, virtually,” the Pro-Chancellor said.
Udoji explained that the selection board painstakingly examined the Curriculum Vitae and interacted with each candidate, and scored them accordingly to stipulated criteria.
“The three highest scoring candidates were presented to the Council for further consideration as provided by the law. The entire exercise of the Joint Selection Board was witnessed by the representatives of the Federal Character Commission who have confirmed the exercise was fair and transparent and carried out in full compliance with the provisions of the Federal Character Commission Act.
“In line with the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act as amended, the report of the Selection Board was considered by the Council which, after a careful and dispassionate review of the report, decided to appoint Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, as the Vice-Chancellor of the University with effect from June 7, 2022,” the Chairman added.
He said the decision of the Council shall be communicated to the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Minister of Education.
Bamire is a Professor of Agricultural Economics at the university’s Faculty of Agriculture.