Venite University, Iloro-Ekiti, on 5 March 2026 inaugurated Professor Charity O. Aremu as its second substantive Vice-Chancellor, formally placing the crop improvement scholar at the helm of the institution for the next five years.

Professor. Charity Onye Aremu

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Professor Olabisi I. Aina, who officiated the investiture, described the event as a defining moment for the university’s leadership and direction.

“The investiture of the Vice-Chancellor represents more than a ceremony. It is a statutory affirmation of leadership and commitment to the institution’s future,” Prof. Aina said.

She noted that the Governing Council reached its decision after what she described as a rigorous and transparent selection process, expressing confidence in Prof. Aremu’s academic pedigree and leadership experience to guide the university through its next phase of development. The council, she added, expects the new Vice-Chancellor to uphold institutional integrity, strengthen academic performance, and provide strategic leadership for sustained growth.

Prof. Aremu, a respected scholar in crop improvement and sustainable agriculture, earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Ibadan before obtaining a PhD in Plant Breeding and Sustainable Agriculture from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Her research record includes more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and over 2,000 academic citations.

Before her appointment at Venite University, she served as Vice-Chancellor of Landmark University and held several senior academic roles at both Landmark University and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, including Head of Department, Dean, Director of the African Agripreneurship Development Centre, and Chair of the University Academic Board and Senate.

In her investiture address, Prof. Aremu set out an ambitious agenda for the university, stating that her administration would focus on building Venite into a globally recognised centre for research and development.

“Our vision is to build Venite University into a globally recognised institution in research and development, producing knowledgeable, creative and innovative graduates with positive impact on society,” she said.

She explained that the university would prioritise academic excellence, stronger research output, improved administrative processes and institutional development over the next five years. Her plan also includes expanding industry partnerships and equipping students with practical skills in areas such as cybersecurity, big data analytics and entrepreneurship.

The new Vice-Chancellor further outlined targets for increased student enrolment, infrastructure development, international collaborations and stronger global visibility for the institution.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Professor Dipo Aina, represented at the ceremony by Dr. Adenike Kolawole, expressed confidence in her leadership capacity.

“With her leadership, Venite University will enter a new era of exponential growth, strengthened governance and transformative societal impact,” he said.

The inauguration signals a new phase for Venite University as the institution positions itself to expand its academic influence within Nigeria and strengthen its presence in global research networks.

Three teenage students from St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado Ekiti, have clinched top honours for academic excellence at the 2026 Ekiti Future Agenda Awards, held on Thursday at Adetiloye Hall.

Oreoluwa Alayande, Damilola Adeolu and Goodness Ewenike received the awards after a year of standout performances in national spelling competitions that placed Ekiti on the academic map.

Three Ekiti Students Win Big at 2026 Future Agenda Awards

The event drew educators, policymakers and community leaders who gathered to celebrate young achievers across the state. But it was the trio from one school that commanded attention.

Fourteen year old Oreoluwa shot into national prominence in 2025 when she emerged champion of the MTN mPulse Spelling Bee. Her victory came with a ₦5 million education grant, a one day experience as MTN Nigeria’s chief executive, a new laptop and smartphone, and a one year role as Face of mPulse.

Her triumph also delivered major rewards to her school, including ₦10 million, 10 laptops and 10 5G routers, while her teacher received ₦500,000 in cash support.

Thirteen year old Damilola followed with a strong showing at the Nigeria Spelling Bee in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where she placed second. She is now set to represent Nigeria and Ekiti State at the international finals in Zimbabwe.

Goodness, also 14, secured first place at the National Spell Africa competition in Lagos, completing what many at the ceremony described as a rare academic streak from a single institution.

All three students achieved these milestones while in SS2, balancing routine schoolwork with high pressure national contests.

The awards were presented by Amb. Prince Micheal Ogungbemi, Chairman of Ajoni LCDA, who praised the students for projecting Ekiti beyond its borders through intellect and discipline.

Three Ekiti Students Win Big at 2026 Future Agenda Awards

For St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, the recognition signals more than trophies. It reinforces a growing reputation for grooming students who compete and win on national stages.

For Ekiti, it offers a sharper narrative, one driven not by politics or rhetoric, but by young minds spelling their way into history.

Three Ekiti Students Win Big at 2026 Future Agenda Awards

Venite University, Iloro-Ekiti, has appointed Professor Charity Aremu as its new Vice-Chancellor after a competitive selection process that drew 25 candidates, positioning the institution for a sharper research and industry-driven future.

The Governing Council confirmed her appointment after a series of interviews and assessments that insiders described as rigorous. Her emergence marks a decisive leadership choice for a university still defining its national footprint.

Professor Aremu, a crop improvement and sustainable agriculture scholar, arrives from Landmark University, where she served as Vice-Chancellor. Under her watch, the institution secured global visibility in the Times Higher Education rankings, a milestone that strengthened its research profile beyond Nigeria.

Her academic record runs deep. She studied Agricultural Biology at University of Ibadan, graduating in 1992 as best student and earning both the Royal Dutch Shell BP Award and the Raymond Zard scholarship. She later obtained her MSc and PhD in Agricultural Biology and Plant Breeding from the same university and the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

Before her move to Landmark in 2015, she spent nearly two decades at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, rising from Assistant Lecturer to Professor in 2011. Across both institutions, she led departments, headed colleges, chaired senate sessions, and directed strategic planning and quality assurance committees. She also steered postgraduate education and later supervised agripreneurship development initiatives.

Her national footprint stretches to the National Universities Commission, where she contributed to the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards and served on accreditation panels. She has examined theses for universities across Nigeria and South Africa, including Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ilorin and North-West University.

In research metrics, Professor Aremu has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. Her Google Scholar citations exceed 2,000, with an h-index above 15 on Scopus. Scival lists her among Nigeria’s top 500 researchers in 2026. She secured grants from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa for drought-resistant maize and co-led the Cassava Adding Value for Africa II project. She also presented technical findings on African Cassava Mosaic Virus research in Addis Ababa.

At Venite, she takes charge of a university that brands itself as a training ground for self-reliant graduates. In early policy outlines shared with stakeholders, she signalled plans to tighten links between academia and industry, push certified skill acquisition alongside degrees, expand tech innovation hubs, and align programmes with global accreditation benchmarks and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

She also pledged to strengthen research funding culture, widen international partnerships and build a more accountable financial structure.

Her appointment makes her Venite University’s second substantive Vice-Chancellor. For a relatively young institution in Ekiti State, the choice signals intent. The university has opted for a research-driven administrator with a record of climbing rankings, attracting grants and enforcing academic standards.

Now, the expectation shifts from promise to delivery.