The approval followed the recommendation of the Senate that Ekanola should be appointed as the  Acting Vice-Chancellor after it's meeting held at the International Conference Centre of the university on Monday, which was presided over by the Provost College of Medicine, UI, Prof Olayinka Omigbodun.

 

The Director of Public Communication, UI,  Mr. Olatunji Oladejo, in a statement made available to our Correspondent in Ibadan, said the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council UI, Nde Joshua Waklek Mutka, presided over the meeting, where the recommendation of the Senate was approved.

 

Ekanola had emerged winner at the election conducted during the Senate meeting. He defeated four other candidates that also contested for the position. The five candidates were nominated and seconded during the meeting. Each of the candidates also accepted their nomination.

 

Our Correspondent, who monitored the process at  Senate meeting reported that Ekanola polled a total of 275 votes from the 337 valid votes cast during the process. A total of 400 votes were cast, out of which 63 votes were invalid.

 

Prof Ayo Oluleye, a former Dean, Faculty of Technology, came a distant second with a total of 80 votes. A former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic of the University, Prof Adigun Agbaje, came third with a total of 15 votes.

 

Another former DVC (Academics), Prof Gbemisola Oke, scored 14 votes, while the current DVC in charge of research, innovation and strategic partnership, Prof Olanike Adeyemo, had 13 votes.

 

Before his appointment, Ekanola served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Director of Office of International Programmes (OIP) and Dean, Faculty of Arts, among other appointments.

 

The five-year tenure of the 12th  Vice-Chancellor, Prof Idowu Olayinka, ended by 4 p.m. on Monday, November 30, 2020. 

 

The process for appointment of his substantive successor, which began in June, this year, was cancelled by the National University Commission (NUC), based on crises that dogged the process. The NUC also directed that an Acting Vice-Chancellor should be appointed for a period of six months.