Prof. Kayode Oyebode Adebowale

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale of the Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, UI, in an election held at the Senate on Monday May 28, 2018 beat Professor A. O. Salako of the Department of Animal Science to emerge as the New Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, of the institution.

According to the information that filtered out from the Senate, Professor Adebowale 296 had votes and Professor Salako had 88.

As soon as Professor Adebowale was declared the winner of the election, his friends and loyalists went into jubilation. Other members of staff who were not part of the electorate have been texting congratulatory messages.

It will be recalled that on May 21, 2018, through a special release number 4062, which was signed by the institution’s Registrar/Secretary to Senate, Mrs. Olubunmi O. Fajuyi, the institution announced that the tenure of the current Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Ayeilari Emilolorun would expire on June 10, 2018.

As a result, “In accordance with the provision of Section 4(2) and (3) of Decree no 11 of 1993 (NOW Act 1993): where a vacancy occurs in the post of the Deputy-Vice Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor shall forward to Senate a list of two candidates for the post of Deputy Vice-Chancellor that is vacant for election and the candidate with the majority of votes cast will be elected and his/her name forwarded to Council for confirmation”.

 In view of the development, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka nominated the two candidates for election.

Born on January 11, 1962 in Ibadan, Adebowale attended UI for his first, second and third degrees. He was employed in 1987 as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Chemistry, and was promoted to the professorial cadre in 2006.

Adebowale, who has a total of 125 publications, specialises in Industrial, Food, Analytical and Environmental Chemistry. For two consecutive years (2011 and 2012), two of his publications were rated by Thomson Reuters ISI Science Web of Knowledge (Essential Science indicators) as the first two top papers in Engineering in Nigeria.