The Governing Council of the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) has announced Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole as the institution’s fifth substantive Vice Chancellor. The appointment, disclosed by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, came after what he described as one of the most competitive selection processes in FUOYE’s history.
Professor Ogunwole, a renowned soil scientist and academic leader, will officially assume office on February 11, 2026, succeeding Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, whose tenure ends in February.
At a press briefing held in Abuja on Thursday, Senator Ndoma-Egba said the council had followed a rigorous and transparent process that produced the most qualified candidate. Out of 83 applicants, 64 who applied online and 19 nominated by the Search Team, only 30 were shortlisted after meeting the set criteria. Following an evidence-based assessment, Professor Ogunwole emerged top with an impressive 89.9 percent score, ahead of Professor Alonge Akindele Folarin and Professor Ajewole Moses Oludare.
“Professor Ogunwole’s brilliance, discipline, and visionary mindset make him the right person to lead FUOYE into its next phase of excellence,” Ndoma-Egba said. “His appointment signals a new dawn of innovation, integrity, and progress for the university.”
The Pro-Chancellor urged the FUOYE community to embrace unity and support the new administration, acknowledging the tension that often surrounds leadership transitions. “The process may have stirred emotions, but it’s time to move forward. I urge every stakeholder to join hands with Professor Ogunwole to build a greater FUOYE,” he appealed.
He also paid tribute to the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Fasina, for what he called a remarkable tenure defined by visible infrastructural growth and stability. “You have set a high bar,” Ndoma-Egba said. “You’re leaving with honour and pride.”
Born on July 23, 1967, in Ibadan, Professor Ogunwole hails from Ogbomoso, Oyo State. With over three decades in teaching, research, and administration, his career cuts across several Nigerian universities including Ahmadu Bello University, Adamawa State University, Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Bowen University, and FUOYE.
As Vice Chancellor of Bowen University from 2018 to 2023, he was credited with revitalising the institution’s finances, improving staff and student welfare, and spearheading key infrastructure projects. Before his current appointment, he served as FUOYE’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Strategic Partnerships, Research, Innovation, and Linkages), leading groundbreaking collaborations and innovation-focused initiatives.
A recipient of prestigious fellowships such as Fulbright (USA), TWAS (India/Sri Lanka), and Alexander von Humboldt (Germany), Ogunwole is also a Fellow of the African Scientific Institute (ASI) and the Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN), and a Council Member of the Nigerian Institute of Soil Science (NISS).
His assumption of office on February 11, 2026, marks a defining chapter for FUOYE, a university that, in just over a decade, has become one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing federal institutions.
