By Ibukun Emiola
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Ibadan, Aug. 3, 2020 Barely 90 days to the appointment of a vice-chancellor for the premier University of Ibadan (UI), the search team constituted by the Senate of the institution says it is searching for an eligible candidate for the post.
Newsmen reports that Mr Tunji Oladejo, Director, Public Communication said this in an interview on Monday in Ibadan.
Oladejo stated: “The search team is mandated to look for anybody who is eligible to lead the university to be the vice-chancellor but who did not apply in the first instance but that person will now be encouraged to go and apply.
“Don’t forget that UI is a national treasure, a national institution so it covers everywhere in Nigeria.
“Because the whole of Nigeria is the coverage area of UI so the search team will look for any eligible candidates in all these areas.
“So we are at that stage now.
When asked of the next step in the race towards the vice-chancellorship, he noted that the contest “is a process and so it is one step at a time.
“But we have to wait for the search team to give their recommendations”.
Oladejo also said he could not tell the number of candidates that had applied for the post since he was not part of the council secretariat, noting that only the registrar could tell.
NAN reports that some candidates have withdrawn from the race having known that their chances of emerging in the race is slim.
Some members of the UI community said that they were praying for good candidate to emerge.
A member of the community who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that those at the frontline of the race include Prof. Adeyinka Aderinto, the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, the current Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration and Prof. Remi Raji, former Dean Faculty of Arts, among others.
The source said that Aderinto was perceived as a strong contender for the postion.
He, however, noted that the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes has raised the need for an Ibadan indigene to emerge as the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, presenting four candidates for the approval of one who could meet the criteria