UI appoints Prof. Olapegba as 14th Vice‑Chancellor
University of Ibadan
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Governing Council of the University of Ibadan has appointed Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba as the institution’s 14th Vice‑Chancellor following a competitive selection process that screened eight candidates.
The appointment was announced on Wednesday by the Pro‑Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Adebisi Akande, after the council approved the recommendation of the Joint Council‑Senate Selection Board.
Akande said the recruitment exercise began in line with the provisions of the University Act ahead of the expiration of the incumbent Vice‑Chancellor’s tenure on November 1, 2026.
“Advertisements inviting applications for the position were published in April 2026 in three national newspapers,” he said, adding that the adverts initially attracted six applications.
To widen the search, the council constituted a Search Team to identify other qualified candidates who might not have applied.
The team’s efforts produced two additional applicants, bringing the total number of contenders to eight.
Council members met and assessed all eight candidates on Tuesday, July 21, with each member independently scoring candidates using approved guidelines.
That exercise produced a list of five shortlisted candidates, ranked in order of merit, for the final stage of selection.
The Pro‑Chancellor noted that the council appointed two of its members to the Selection Board and that the University Senate had earlier elected two representatives to participate.
The Joint Council‑Senate Selection Board interviewed the five shortlisted candidates on Wednesday and recommended Olapegba as the best candidate.
Describing the process, Akande said it was “thorough, transparent and highly competitive,” and the Governing Council “unanimously approved the recommendation of the Selection Board.”
He added, “It is, therefore, my pleasure to present to you the 14th Vice‑Chancellor of this great university, the University of Ibadan, Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba. We wish him success in his tenure.”
Professor Olapegba, currently Deputy Vice‑Chancellor (Administration) and a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Ibadan, will succeed the incumbent whose tenure ends on November 1, 2026.
