The Governing Council of the University of Ibadan (UI) has approved the appointment of Prof. Ayodeji Omole as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration). The appointment, which took effect on Nov. 10, is for a two-year tenure.
This is contained in a statement issued by the university’s Registrar, Mr Ganiyu Saliu, and made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Sunday by the Director of Public Relations, Mrs Joke Akinpelu.
Saliu said Omole was a Professor of Forest and Timber Engineering in the Department of Forest Resources Management. He joined the university in 1997 as an Assistant Lecturer and became a professor on Oct. 1, 2015.
Omole obtained a bachelor’s degree in Forestry and Wood Technology from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in 1994.
He subsequently earned master’s and doctoral degrees in Wood Products Engineering from UI in 1997 and 2000, respectively. The registrar said Omole had published more than 100 research articles in peer-reviewed journals.
He also pioneered research into veneer lamination of wood-cement boards and the use of used engine oil as a wood preservative.
Saliu said Omole had served the university in various administrative capacities, including Head of the Department of Forest Production and Products from 2021 to 2025.
He also chaired the Senior Staff Housing Committee and coordinated the Awba Dam Rehabilitation and Restoration Project.
Omole served as Chairman of the UI branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) from 2016 to 2020. He has been involved in the union’s activities since 1998.
At the state level, Omole chaired the Oyo State Negotiation Committee on the sole ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso. He was appointed to the position by Gov. Seyi Makinde in November 2019.
He also chaired the Planning and Implementation Committee for the upgrade of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education to a university in 2022.
The professor currently serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of LAUTECH. He is also Chairman of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities (COPSUN).
Omole belongs to several professional bodies, including the Commonwealth Forestry Association, Society for Wood Science and Technology, and Forest and Forest Products Society of Nigeria.
His honours include the Distinguished Alumni Award of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in 2023. He has also received awards from the Oyo State Government and LAUTECH Alumni Association.
