LASU Senate Honours Departing VC, Olatunji-Bello

The Senate of Lagos State University (LASU) has held a valedictory session in honour of the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, as she prepares to complete her five-year tenure.

The session, held on Thursday, August 27, during the university’s 332nd Statutory Senate Meeting at the Senate Chamber of the Babatunde Raji Fashola Building, LASU Main Campus, Ojo, brought together principal officers, Senate members and other academic leaders.

Olatunji-Bello, who became the university’s ninth substantive Vice-Chancellor in September 2021, will complete her single, non-renewable five-year tenure on September 19, 2026.

Opening the proceedings, the Registrar, Emmanuel Fanu, reviewed the Vice-Chancellor’s tenure and contributions to the institution.

He said Olatunji-Bello had presided over 55 statutory Senate meetings since her inaugural session on October 20, 2021, alongside several extraordinary meetings.

The Registrar also noted that LASU hosted 47 inaugural lectures during her administration, reflecting sustained academic and intellectual activity.

In her valedictory address, Olatunji-Bello expressed appreciation to God, the Lagos State Government and members of the university community for their support during her tenure.

She highlighted achievements in academic accreditation, research and innovation, infrastructure development, financial sustainability, and staff and student welfare.

Among the major milestones, she cited LASU’s establishment as a TETFund Centre of Excellence and the promotion of 127 academic staff to the rank of professor.

She also pointed to the systematic accreditation of academic programmes, strengthened quality assurance mechanisms and the expansion of degree programmes to meet emerging academic and professional demands.

The Vice-Chancellor urged the Senate to preserve institutional continuity and sustain the university’s mission, stressing that leadership would change but the institution must endure.

“LASU must remain,” she said.

Members of Senate, in their goodwill messages, commended Olatunji-Bello’s vision, courage, humility, administrative acumen and approach to leadership.

Delivering the vote of thanks, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Oseni Taiwo Afisi, described her tenure as a period of significant institutional transformation.

“Under your stewardship, academic programmes were strengthened, research output expanded, and quality assurance institutionalised. You taught us that leadership is service,” he said.

Afisi added that Olatunji-Bello would leave the university “significantly stronger, better positioned, and globally respected”.

The Senate noted that its 334th Statutory Meeting, scheduled for September 2026, would mark the transition to a new administrative era following the conclusion of Olatunji-Bello’s tenure.

She leaves LASU with a record of developments in academics, research and innovation, infrastructure, governance, and staff and student welfare.