Professor Olajumoke Abimbola Morenikeji has been installed as the Vice‑Chancellor of Koladaisi University in Ibadan, becoming the first woman to hold the post after three male predecessors. Her appointment marks a milestone for the private university, which has long sought to strengthen academic standards and community engagement.
Before stepping into the VC role, Morenikeji served as Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences and as the university’s pioneer Deputy Vice‑Chancellor. In those positions she was credited with improving governance, quality assurance and institutional development. A University of Ibadan alumnus, she is a Professor of Zoology and Parasitology with more than 120 peer‑reviewed publications and seven books to her name.
Morenikeji’s research credentials include the MIM/TDR Postdoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute for Medical Research in London, the TWAS‑DBT Fellowship at the National Institute of Malaria Research in New Delhi, and a Certificate in International Health Research Ethics from the Harvard School of Public Health. She has attracted funding from a range of national and international bodies and holds leadership positions in wildlife conservation, including President of the Nigerian Association of Zoological Gardens and Wildlife Parks and Chair of the Pangolin Conservation Guild Nigeria.
“I do not really think about one gender being able to do something and another gender not being able to do it,” she said. “Work is work, and you just have to do it to the extent that you know you have given your best.”
In discussing her vision for the university, Morenikeji emphasised academic and teaching excellence, student formation and entrepreneurial skills, and staff development. “We want our graduates to be able to build enterprises and explore opportunities,” she explained. “The university should not exist as an isolated institution; whatever we do must positively impact the surrounding community.”
“There is nowhere in the world where you will not find some research outputs that are not really up to standard,” she noted. “At Koladaisi University, we do not do research for research’s sake. We do it to solve problems within our local environment.”
With her appointment, Koladaisi University signals a commitment to inclusive leadership and a focus on high‑quality research and teaching. Morenikeji’s experience and stated priorities suggest she will steer the institution toward greater academic impact while maintaining ethical research standards.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
