Ajayi Crowther Varsity Names Prof Ebunoluwa Oduwole As First Female VC

The Council of the Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, has approved the appointment of Professor Ebunoluwa Olufemi Oduwole as the first female Vice Chancellor of the institution.

The approval of Prof. Oduwole to run the affairs of the Anglican Communion-owned institution was announced on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

Oduwole will succeed the outgoing vice chancellor, Professor Timothy Adebayo, whose five-year tenure will end in the coming months.

Professor Oduwole’s academic journey is distinguished and extensive with Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan between 1983 and 2002.

Additionally, she attained a Master of Science in Bioethics through a consortium of three European institutions: Katholieke University in Leuven (Belgium), Radboud University in Nijmegen (Netherlands), and the University of Padova (Italy).

She later obtained her Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan.

Her professional career began at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in 1985, where she ascended through the ranks to become a Professor of African Philosophy, specialising in Ethics, Bioethics, Philosophy of Religion, Gender Studies, and African Studies.

Professor Oduwole possesses a robust administrative background, having held various leadership roles at OOU.

She served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor from 2016 to 2018, uniquely overseeing both academic and administrative functions.

Subsequently, from 2018 to 2020, Prof Oduwole took on the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration.

Her career at OOU also included serving as Head of the Department of Philosophy from 2003 to 2006, followed by her appointment as Dean of the Faculty of Arts.

In addition to her leadership at OOU, Professor Oduwole has been an active member of the Senate and Governing Council of the university, participating in numerous strategic committees across various academic institutions, including the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Lagos State University, and Osun State University.

Currently, she also serves on the Governing Council of Ajayi Crowther University and is a member of the Church of Nigeria Theological Accreditation and Regulatory Board.

Her extensive academic and administrative expertise in university management heralds a new era of visionary leadership at Ajayi Crowther University and marks a significant milestone for the institution.