University of Ibadan Appoints Professor Ayodeji Omole Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration)
Oru Leonard
The Governing Council of the University of Ibadan has approved the appointment of Professor Ayodeji Oludare Omole as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).
The appointment, which takes effect from November 10, 2026, is for a two-year tenure.
Professor Omole, a renowned scholar of Forest and Timber Engineering, brings decades of academic, administrative, research and leadership experience to the new position.
Born on March 6, 1970, in Ogbagi Akoko, Ondo State, Professor Omole obtained his first degree in Forestry and Wood Technology from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in 1994.
He subsequently obtained his M.Sc. and PhD degrees in Wood Products Engineering from the University of Ibadan in 1997 and 2000, respectively.
He joined the services of the University of Ibadan in 1997 as an Assistant Lecturer in the then Department of Forest Resources Management. He rose through the academic ranks, becoming a Professor of Forest/Timber Engineering on October 1, 2015, becoming the first academic to attain professorial status in that area of specialisation in Nigeria.
As a researcher, Professor Omole has pioneered studies in veneer lamination of wood-cement boards and the use of used engine oil as a wood preservative. He has also collaborated with other scholars to publish more than 100 research articles in reputable peer-reviewed journals.
His academic engagements extend beyond the University of Ibadan, having served as an adjunct and visiting scholar in several Nigerian universities and institutions in Sierra Leone. He has equally served as an external examiner to universities within and outside Nigeria.
Professor Omole has held several administrative positions at the University of Ibadan, including Head of the Department of Forest Production and Products from 2021 to 2025. He has also served as Chairman of the Senior Staff Housing Committee, Project Coordinator of the Awba Dam Rehabilitation and Restoration Project, and Chairman of the Faculty Practical Year Training Programme.
His leadership experience also includes his involvement in the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), where he has been active since 1998 and served as Chairman of the University of Ibadan branch from 2016 to 2020.
During his tenure as ASUU Chairman, he introduced several initiatives aimed at strengthening the union’s activities and members’ welfare. These included the construction of an ultra-modern secretariat for the University of Ibadan branch and the establishment of the ‘End-Well’ special welfare scheme to support members’ retirement planning.
Beyond the university system, Professor Omole has contributed to educational development and public administration in Oyo State.
In November 2019, he was appointed Chairman of the Oyo State Negotiation Committee on the sole ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, by Governor Seyi Makinde.
In 2022, he also chaired the Planning and Implementation Committee responsible for upgrading Emmanuel Alayande College of Education into a full-fledged university.
He currently serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of LAUTECH, a position he has held since 2021. He is also Chairman of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities (COPSUN), a position he assumed in 2025.
Professor Omole belongs to several professional organisations, including the Council on Forest Engineering, United States; Commonwealth Forestry Association, United Kingdom; Society for Wood Science and Technology, United States; Forest Products Society, United States; and Forest and Forest Products Society of Nigeria.
His contributions to academia, professional development and public service have earned him several recognitions, including the Distinguished Alumni Award of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in 2023; Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Policy Management and Leadership Development; Fellow of the Africa Forum, Scotland Centre for Policy Research and Development, Glasgow; and Fellow of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice in 2025.
Other recognitions include the Justice of the Peace of Oyo State award in 2022 and multiple awards from ASUU, LAUTECH Alumni Association Worldwide, the Oyo State Government and COPSUN.
Popularly known as ‘Omo Egiri-Oke’ among friends and admirers, Professor Omole is married with children.
The Registrar of the University of Ibadan, G. O. Saliu, who announced the appointment, confirmed that the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor has assumed duty.
