The Governing Council of the University of Ibadan (UI) has appointed Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba as the institution’s 14th substantive Vice-Chancellor following a competitive selection process involving eight candidates.
Gatekeepers News reports that his appointment was ratified on Wednesday after the Joint Council-Senate Selection Board recommended him as the most suitable candidate for the position.
The appointment was announced by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Chief Adebisi Akande, who said the process began in line with the provisions of the University Act ahead of the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale, on November 1, 2026.
According to Akande, six applications were initially received before a search team identified two additional qualified academics, bringing the total number of candidates to eight.
Akande explained that all eight candidates underwent rigorous assessment by the Governing Council, with the top five advancing to the final stage of interviews conducted by the Joint Council-Senate Selection Board. He described the exercise as “thorough, transparent and highly competitive” before the council unanimously approved Olapegba’s appointment.
Professor Olapegba currently serves as the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and is a professor in the Department of Psychology. A social and health psychologist, he has previously held several leadership positions within the institution, including Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Director of Alumni Relations and Chairman of the UI@75 Anniversary Committee. He joined the University of Ibadan as an Assistant Lecturer in 2000 and became a professor in 2014.
As Vice-Chancellor-designate, Olapegba is expected to assume office after the expiration of Professor Adebowale’s tenure in November.
