The investiture of the seventh substantive Vice Chancellor, VC, of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, Professor Olusola Babatunde Kehinde, will hold on Monday, April 3, 2023, at the Oluwafemi Balogun Ceremonial Building, at the permanent site of the university, at Alabata Road, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Scheduled to commence at 11a.m, invited guests to the auspicious event are expected to be seated by 10:30 a.m.
A statement issued by FUNAAB Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council, Dr. ‘Bola Adekola, which revealed this stated that the investiture of Prof. Kehinde will be graced by prescribed authorities of the university at national level, Federal Government appointees, including the Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellor and the Chairman of Council, council members, members of the Ogun State Executive Council, members of the academic community within and in diaspora, and well wishers from all works of life.
Professor Kehinde’s journey to the Vice-Chancellorship of FUNAAB began on September 22, 2022, when he was duly nominated by the Senate of the university as the acting Vice-Chancellor.
Following his nomination as acting VC, Kehinde, a professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics, took over the mantle of leadership from the sixth substantive VC of FUNAAB, Prof. Felix Kolawole Salako, FSSSN, FASN.
Incidentally, until his nomination as acting and substantive VC, Professor Kehinde served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, DVC, Development in the Administration of Prof. Salako.
History beckoned on the Gbagura, Abeokuta, Ogun State-born Professor Kehinde on 7th March, 2023, when the Governing Council of the university, at its Special Meeting, approved his appointment as the seventh substantive VC of the university.
Professor Kehinde’s appointment was announced by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Alhaji Umar Ahmed, CNA, who immediately after the announcement, presented him his letter of appointment .
Before him were six substantive VCs who contributed immensely to the overall development of the university since it establishment.
The foundation cum pioneer VC of FUNAAB, Professor Nurudeen Olorunnimbe Adedipe, served for two terms of four years each, between January 8, 1988 to December 31,1991 and January 1,1992 to December 31, 1995 respectively.
The second VC was Professor Julius Amioba Okojie, who acted from January 1, 1996 till September 2, 1996, when he became the substantive VC and served for one term of five years, which ended on 31st August, 2001.
Professor Israel Folorunso Adu, who served from September 1, 2001 to August 31, 2006 was the third substantive VC of the citadel of learning.
Professor Ishola Adamson acted as VC from September 1, 2006 till May 23, 2007.
The fourth VC was Professor Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, who served from May 24, 2007 till May 23, 2012.
Next in line as the fifth substantive VC of FUNAAB was Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole, who served from May 24, 2012 till May 23, 2017.
Professor Ololade Enikuomehin acted as VC from May 24, 2017 till October 31, 2017.
Entered the sixth substantive FUNAAB VC, Professor Salako, who assumed duty on November 1, 2017 and served a five-year term of office, which ended on October 31, 2022.
With his impending investiture on Monday, Professor Kehinde will go into the history books as as the seventh substantive VC of the university.
Responding to his appointment, Prof. Kehinde expressed deep appreciation to the Governing Council for finding him worthy of the appointment and the trust reposed in him.
The VC-designate promised to implement all programmes highlighted in his vision document presented during the selection process.
Additionally, the new VC promised to promote peace, quality and cutting-edge research, while putting in all his energies to make FUNAAB, a 21st-Century university.
The VC-designate, Prof. Kehinde obtained his B.Sc in Agricultural Biology from the University of Ibadan in 1987 and bagged the doctorate degree from the same university in 1994.
He began his teaching and research career at the then University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, as Assistant Lecturer in 1994, and rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics on October 01, 2007.
He was a recipient of the Graduate Fellowship Programme of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Ibadan, for his doctorate degree, as well as the Fellowship Award of the Chinese Government in 2008, for a short course at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
He was a Visiting Lecturer at the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic, in 2010.
He has served FUNAAB in many capacities, including: Chairman TEFAMAC/Coordinator, Farm Practical Year programme, 2001 to 2004; acting Head of Department, HOD, Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Technology, 2004 to 2008; Director, Graduate Records and Career Centre, 2008 to 2009; Dean, College of Plant Science and Crop Production, 2009 to 2011; Director, Institute for Human Resources Development, 2011 to 2013; member, FUNAAB Governing Council, 2009-2013; President, ASUU-UNAAB Multipurpose Cooperative Society, 2010 to 2013.
Professor Kehinde was also at different times Chairman/member of many university standing and ad-hoc committees.
At the national level, in 2009, he was a member of the National Technical Group on VISION 20:2020, as well as the Study Group on the Re-organisation of National Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank into the Bank of Agriculture, BoA.
Prof. Kehinde had a 3-year stint, between 2016 and 2019, at the Lagos State University, where he assisted the university to establish its School of Agriculture and served as the pioneer Dean.
He has published many articles in both local and international journals and attended conferences, workshops and training programmes in the United Kingdom, UK; United States of America, USA; South Africa; France; China; Israel; among others; and also member of several professional bodies.
Prof. Kehinde is married to Prof. (Mrs.) Iyabode Kehinde, the university’s immediate past Director of Academic Planning, and the union is blessed with children.
