The Governing Council of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, has appointed Prof. Ebunoluwa Olufemi Oduwole as the institution’s first female Vice-Chancellor.

A press release from the university stated that Prof. Oduwole would bring a wealth of experience in university administration, with over 39 years of service in the Nigerian university system.

She is set to succeed Prof. Timothy Adebayo, the current Vice-Chancellor, whose five-year tenure ends in a few months.

Between 1983 and 2002, Prof. Oduwole earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan; a Master of Science in Bioethics from a consortium of three European universities—Katholieke University, Leuven (Belgium), Radboud University, Nijmegen (Netherlands), and the University of Padova (Italy)—and later a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan.

She joined Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in 1985 and advanced to become a Professor of African Philosophy, specialising in Ethics, Bioethics, Philosophy of Religion, Gender Studies, and African Studies.

Oduwole’s administrative record is both extensive and impactful. She has held numerous leadership roles at OOU.

From 2016 to 2018, she served as the sole Deputy Vice-Chancellor, overseeing both academic and administrative portfolios.

Between 2018 and 2020, Prof. Oduwole served as Vice-Chancellor for Administration at the university. In 2003, she was appointed Head of the Department of Philosophy, a position she held until 2006, when she was promoted to Dean of the Faculty of Arts.

Additionally, she is an active member of the Senate and Governing Council of Olabisi Onabanjo University, having served on several strategic committees within the university system. Her influence extends beyond OOU, having served on committees at the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Lagos State University, and Osun State University.

She is also a member of the Governing Council of Ajayi Crowther University and sits on the Church of Nigeria Theological Accreditation and Regulatory Board.

With her extensive academic and administrative expertise in university management, her appointment as Vice-Chancellor of ACU heralds a new era of visionary leadership and a historic milestone for the university.