Prof Adebayo Bamire: appointed new Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University

The announcement of the appointment of Professor Adebayo Bamire, as the new Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun state was on Thursday greeted by protest from some indigenes of the institution’s host community.

The Governing Council had announced that Professor Bamire who hailed from Oyan in Odo-Otin local government of Osun state will succeed Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede whose tenure ends 7th June, 2022.

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Chief Owelle Oscar Udoji, announced the appointment at the Main Hall Africa Centre of Excellence in ICT-Driven Knowledge Park of OAU, on Thursday, in Ile-Ife.

According to Udoji, Bamire’s appointment as the 12th vice chancellor of the institution is effective from June 7.

Udoji said the decision of the Council shall be communicated to the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.

He said the selection process of the vice chancellor began on Dec. 7, 2021 at the last Council meeting when it advertised the position in line with the relevant statutes and Acts guiding appointment to the position.

The pro-chancellor said that shortly after the widely advertised position in the media, “the curriculum vitae of all 20 applicants were submitted and at the end, 16 were shortlisted, having met the advertised media.”

According to him, all the 16 candidates appeared before the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board, with each candidate and scored them according to stipulated criteria.

Udoji explained further that the three highest scoring candidates were presented to the council for further consideration as provided by the law.

“The entire exercise of the Joint Selection Board was witnessed by the representatives of the Federal Character Commission who have confirmed the exercise was fair and transparent,” he said.

He said that the exercise was carried out in full compliance with the provisions of the Federal Character Commission Act.

According to him, in line with the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions)(Amendment) Act as amended, the report of the Selection Board was considered by the Council.

“After a careful and dispassionate review of the report, they have decided to appoint a Professor of Agricultural Economics from the Faculty of Agriculture of the institution, Prof. Adebayo Bamire, as the next vice-chancellor with effect from June 7, 2022.

“The decision of the Council shall be communicated to the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari, through Hon Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.”

But a group of indigenes of Ife town had immediately the announcement was made blocked the entrance of the university and stopped vehicles from going out of the campus.

The protesters who insisted that an Ife indigene must be appointed the new Vice Chancellor of OAU disrupted activities on the campus for about one hour.

They threatened to resume the protest on Friday morning.

Bamire, who was born on 18th January 1959 is a graduate of Agricultural Economics in the Faculty of Agriculture of OAU and is presently a Lecturer/Professor in the same Department.

He obtained his second and PhD degrees from the same department.

Also, Prof. Bamire was Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics for the 2010/2011 academic session and Dean, Faculty of Agriculture for the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 academic sessions.

Prof. Bamire who has also received different awards for his contribution to the development of the educational sector is an astute researcher and has an established collaboration with scientists in the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), ILRI/DfID, HarvestPlus/IFPRI, International Wheat & Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Makerere University, United Nations University Institute of Natural Resources (UNU-INRA), United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU- WIDER), AERC, and the University for Cooperative Development (UADC), among others.

In addition, Professor Bamire has more than seventy publications in local and international Journals centred on field experiences on resource development and institutional support for smallholder farmers in rural and urban centres for enhanced food security and poverty reduction – issues of global concern.

He is a member of the socioeconomic group for the Stress Tolerant Maize for Africa Project, Agribenchmark based in Germany, and Associate Senior Evaluation Fellow, International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED).

Bamire is also a member of the African Crop Science Society (ACSS), Leadership for Environment & Development (LEAD) and the Nigerian Association of Agricultural Economists (NAAE).

He was a Visiting Scientist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Vice-Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University in the 2007/2008 & 2008/2009 sessions.