The Governing Council of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has ratified the election of Prof. Olusola Babatunde Kehinde by the Senate of the University as the new Acting Vice Chancellor of the institution, it was learnt.
It was gathered that Professor Olusola Babatunde Kehinde, a Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics will formally assume office on November 1,2022, a day after the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof.Kolawole Salako.
The University Head of Public Relations, Mr.Kola Adepoju did not want to be drawn into the development for now when contacted but sources close to the PR unit said Adepoju would appreciate if the Press could respect institution’s academic culture.
The sources urged the Press to the said culture which stipulates that the Acting Vice Chancellor will assume office November 1 while Prof.Salako remains the Vice Chancellor till October 31and as such should hold on till then.
Until his ratification by the Governing Council on Thursday, Prof.Kehinde was the Deputy Vice Chancellor(Development).
Prof. Kehinde attended University of Ibadan where he obtained B.Sc Degree in Agricultural Biology,Second Class Honours,Upper Division in 1987; M.Sc in 1990 and a Ph.D in 1994.
He began his academic career at the University of Agriculture,Abeokuta in March,1994 as Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Technology, and rose through the ranks to become a Professor in 2007.
Prof.Kehinde has served the University in various capacities, which included Dean,College of Plant Science and Crop Production; Director, Institute For Human Resources and Development(INHURD); Member, FUNAAB Governing Council;Chairman and member of notable Committees in the University.
Prof.Kehinde is a recipient of many Fellowships and Grants, both personally and for the University.
They include, Graduate Fellowship Programme at International Institute for Tropical Agriculture(IITA,Ibadan, Chinese Fellowship Programme at Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing and Grants for research studies and the establishment of Centre of Excellence in Agriculture.
Apart from FUNAAB, Prof .Kehinde has contributed to the development of other Universities, his impact at Lagos State University led to his appointment as the Acting pioneer Dean, School of Agriculture.
He was also a Visiting Lecturer at the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic.
At national level, the Acting Vice Chancellor – designate served the nation as Member of the National Technical Working Group(Agriculture) of the Vision 20:2020 as well as the Study Group that reorganized the National Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank into the Bank of Agriculture.
Prof. Kehinde has published more than fifty scientific articles in national and foreign journals.
He’s happily married to Prof(Mrs) Iyabode Kehinde who presently is the University Director of Academic Affairs
