PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR, PETER OLAPEGBA EMERGES 14TH VICE-CHACELLOR OF UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN

By Faith Ajewole

Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba is set to take the reins at the University of Ibadan as its 14th substantive Vice-Chancellor, capping off an intense and highly competitive search to lead Nigeria’s flagship tertiary institution. His appointment was formally announced on Wednesday by the Chairman of the Governing Council and Pro-Chancellor, Chief Adebisi Akande, following the council’s unanimous approval of recommendations submitted by the Joint Council-Senate Selection Board.

The rigorous, law-mandated search process began earlier in April 2026 with national public advertisements, which initially drew six applications. This prompted the council to deploy a specialised search team to scout additional top-tier academics who had not directly applied. That extra search brought two more experts into the fold, building a robust field of eight candidates who underwent exhaustive independent scoring on Tuesday, July 21.

From that pool, five top contenders were shortlisted by merit and put before a joint panel of elected Senate representatives and Council members for a final round of interviews on Wednesday.

Rising to the top of the evaluation, Olapegba—a prominent professor from the Department of Psychology who currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Administration, was ultimately designated as the most suitable candidate to guide the university forward.

Akande praised the entire selection exercise as a benchmark of transparency and academic thoroughness, expressing full confidence in the incoming leadership.

Professor Olapegba will officially assume his new executive role on November 1, 2026, upon the scheduled completion of the current Vice-Chancellor’s tenure

Credit: This news was first published by the UCJUI