Ajayi Crowther: Adebayo’s four-year scorecard

PROFESSOR Timothy Abiodun Adebayo assumed the office of the Vice Chancellorship (VC) of the Anglican-owned foremost citadel of higher learning- Ajayi Crowther University on the 1st of October, 2020. Prof. Adebayo took over the reign of leadership of the faith-based University from Rt. Rev. (Distinguished Professor) Folorunsho Dapo Asaju, Bishop Theologian and now, Bishop of the Ilesha Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) as the 4th Vice-Chancellor of the University amidst profuse cheers and jubilations at a colourful event held at the beautiful 19th century architectural fashioned St. Andrews Chapel located at the centre of the University. Professor Abebayo, a seasoned administrator and former Deputy Vice Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Oyo State assumed the office of the VC during the peak of the covid-19 pandemic when there were much uncertainties on the post-covid-19 expectations. Adebayo’s first task was to manage the modalities for the post covid-19 resumption activities for the University. He was to equally look into how to ensure that the University system is sustained following the economic impact of the pandemic on the nation at large.

To achieve his clear cut developmental and progressive goals, Prof. Adebayo immediately organised an extensive retreat for the top management staff as well as the generality of staff in order to sell his five-year agenda to the university community. With the support of the Board of Trustees and the Governing Board of the university, Adebayo immediately swung into action from day one into his administration. As stated during his well-articulated inaugural address, his approach to leadership is to ensure that ‘students are well-equipped with entrepreneur skills that will enhance their capacity to add value to the society’. With this passion, the VC immediately established the ACU farm for the production of different farm produce. The university also started its fishery, piggery and ranch for the rearing of cattle. Today, the revenue from these investments have become a great source of revenue to the University.  Equally, considering the location of the University is an agrarian society, Adebayo muted the idea that led to the establishment of the ACU Seed Limited which produces seedlings that are farmers’ delight within and outside Oyo State, thereby, putting a stop of the seed tourism by farmers outside Oyo town.

As an unrepentant advocate for improved conditions for teaching, learning and research in Nigeria, Professor Adebayo’s administration has invested in the massive infrastructural development of the university with several construction projects going on simultaneously at the main campus as well as the Ofa-meta and Osoogun campuses of the University.  From the constructions of the state-of-the art Senate building, professorial offices, multiple classroom blocks, laboratory, befitting reception hall for parents and guardians, staff quarters and the soon-to-be-commissioned student’s hostel among others, one continues to marvel at the level of development of the university. Considering the role of electricity in academic environment, the Adebayo-led tenure has continued to invest massively in renewable energy. It is on record that the libraries in the university are now under the solar energy, thereby, guaranteeing uninterrupted power supply for researchers and students. This is addition to the new gigantic generator sourced by the University as stand-by. In terms of having high impact within the research community, Adebayo’s unflinching commitments have started to yield improved rating in the webometric ranking of the University.

Only recently, some selected academics in the university were supported up to the tune of N25 million as take-off research grants. This is in addition to his efforts aimed at ensuring that the institutional repository of the University is well populated and thereby, show-casing the research outputs of the University. Little wonder then that ACU has continued to attract collaboration from institutions of higher learning within and outside Nigeria. The university under the headship of Adebayo has also witnessed expansion in terms of new academic programmes at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, thereby, positioning the university as a leading postgraduate study centre helping to provide for the manpower needs on sister institutions who look up to the University as a fertile ground for the training of their staff members, post especially at the postgraduate level.

Adebayo with his great team comprising of foremost communication guru and fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters-Professor Muyiwa Popoola as the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Dr. J.E.T Babatola (Registrar), Pastor Sanwoolu (Bursar) and Dr. Bosede Ajiboye (University Librarian) have continued to blaze the trail while also forging international partnerships and collaborations in favour of the university. As Professor Adebayo prepares for his 4th convocation ceremony, thus, signalling the end of the 4th out of his 5-year-term, the university will be commissioning gigantic projects across its campuses, including the Senate building which upon completion will house the principal officer and some administrative staff of theuniversity. No doubt, Adebayo has written his name in gold in the annals of the history of the university and will continue to be remembered for his monumental giant strides.

• Bamgbose writes in from Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo.

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