The newly inaugurated seventh substantive Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Professor Tomola Obamuyi, has affirmed his commitment to advancing sustainable excellence in academics, research and innovation, with a vision to transform the institution into a global hub for knowledge production and human development.
Prof. Obamuyi made this known on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at the University Multipurpose Hall during his investiture ceremony, which formally marked the start of his five-year tenure.
Acknowledging challenges inherited from previous administrations — including funding gaps, infrastructural deficits, and the need to expand internal revenue — he commended his predecessors for keeping the institution on a growth trajectory and producing graduates of national and global distinction.
Determined to build on this legacy, Prof. Obamuyi unveiled his vision through the ‘AAUA FIRST Strategy’, built on five interlocking pillars: Funding Opportunities, Infrastructural Development, Research and Academic Excellence, Service to Staff, Students, Partners and the Community, and Technological Advancement.
He stressed that sustainable funding is critical to achieving these goals, stating: “No university can think freely if it cannot fund itself sustainably. The world has taught us that institutions which endure are those that refuse to depend on a single financial lifeline. They build endowments. They build enterprises.”
To bridge the fiscal gap between wage obligations and government subventions, the VC outlined a diversified revenue strategy. This includes engaging the Ondo State Government for an upward review of monthly subventions, while also targeting one thousand high-net-worth AAUA alumni to contribute a minimum of ₦25,000 monthly — generating ₦300 million annually for research and innovation. He also plans to expand commercial farms, restructure AAUA Ventures into KPI-driven business entities, and leverage the university’s location to become an agricultural innovation hub, renewable energy research centre, and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
On infrastructure, Prof. Obamuyi proposed the completion of stalled TETFUND projects, the construction of a 3,000-seat multipurpose auditorium, a state-of-the-art Information and Communications Technology Application Centre (ICTAC), and other capital projects through public-private partnerships.
In pursuit of academic excellence, he announced the creation of a Grantsmanship Task Force to secure high-value TETFUND and international grants, while strengthening global research collaborations. New academic programmes — including FinTech, Business Information Technology, Project Management Science, Digital Health and Health Informatics, and Capital Market Studies — will be introduced to meet growing global demand.
The VC also reaffirmed his commitment to staff and student welfare through industrial harmony, capacity building, merit-based promotions, regular union engagement via a Monthly Partnership Forum, improved working conditions, and an Annual Staff Excellence Awards Programme.
He thanked the Visitor to the University and Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and the Governing Council for their confidence in his leadership, promising measurable results, transparent governance, and unwavering dedication to excellence. He called on staff, students, alumni, and partners to embrace a shared purpose in building a globally competitive 21st-century university.
Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, described Prof. Obamuyi’s appointment as the outcome of a rigorous, merit-based process. He commended the former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, for his foundational contributions, and assured the new VC of the Council’s strategic support. He urged him to uphold the university’s core values of learning, character, and service, while fostering peace, innovation, and collaboration.
In her remarks, the Registrar, Dr. Olubunmi Babalola, welcomed the new VC, describing the inauguration as the start of a new chapter in the university’s history. She expressed optimism about his ability to consolidate achievements, deepen scholarship, and position AAUA among the world’s foremost universities.
The immediate past Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, congratulated his successor and thanked staff and students for their support during his tenure. He expressed confidence in Prof. Obamuyi’s capacity to provide purposeful leadership and called on the university community to extend even greater cooperation to him.
