The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Olumuyiwa Enitan Caleb, has commended the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Professor Kayode Adebowale, for strengthening the institution’s capacity and preserving its heritage during his tenure.

Caleb gave the commendation at a valedictory ceremony organised in honour of Adebowale at the university’s Trenchard Hall, with the theme, “Celebrating Leadership, Legacy and Service.”

He said Adebowale’s leadership had helped sustain the university’s institutional values while positioning it to respond to changing demands in the higher education sector.

According to him, the vice-chancellor’s approach to leadership aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its emphasis on building strong, efficient and responsive institutions.

Caleb noted that the Federal Civil Service was undergoing comprehensive reforms aimed at making it more efficient, productive, incorruptible and citizen-centred, adding that the university system stood to benefit from such institutional reforms.

In his valedictory remarks, Adebowale described the institution he was handing over as “strong but not perfect”, acknowledging that more work was required to make it a world-class university.

He identified inadequate funding and infrastructure as some of the challenges requiring sustained attention, stressing that the university needed stronger support to fulfil its academic and research mandate.

“Leadership is a burden. Every decision carries the weight of lives and destinies. I have led by listening to the community and through consultations. I have insisted on due process, defended autonomy, and governed with integrity,” he said.

Adebowale added that the university had continued to attract outstanding students and respected scholars, while strengthening research partnerships with government agencies to ensure that its findings addressed national needs.

He maintained that institutional development required collective commitment and sustained investment, noting that the achievements recorded during his administration should serve as a foundation for further progress.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the University of Ibadan branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Adefemi Afolabi, represented by the vice-chairman, Dr Tayo Ajibade, commended Adebowale for his disposition towards staff welfare.

Afolabi urged the incoming 14th vice-chancellor, Professor Peter Olapegba, to sustain the relationship with staff unions and give priority to the welfare of university employees.