By Godwin Isenyo

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has announced the appointment of Prof. Oluyinka Okubanjo as the new Provost of its Postgraduate College, with effect from Wednesday, August 20, 2025.

Okubanjo, a professor of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, succeeds Prof Muhammad Nasiru Shuaibu, whose tenure recently ended.

The appointment, approved by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, is for an initial period of two years.

A statement signed by the university’s Public Affairs Directorate on Monday noted that Okubanjo had previously served as Deputy Dean of the then School of Postgraduate Studies—now elevated to a College—making him one of the most experienced hands to lead the institution’s postgraduate programmes.

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He also served as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, in addition to his teaching and research roles in the Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology.

The university said the new Provost was expected to institute “far-reaching reforms” that would reflect global best practices in postgraduate education, administration, and academic governance.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, the appointment was carefully considered against the backdrop of new national and international responsibilities thrust upon ABU in recent years.

“Professor Okubanjo’s appointment is informed by his deep familiarity with the postgraduate system at ABU and his track record as a researcher, administrator, and reform-minded scholar. We are confident that he will reposition the Postgraduate College for global competitiveness,” Ahmed stated.

The Vice-Chancellor explained that ABU was at a critical juncture, having been entrusted by the Federal Government with the responsibility of domestication of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Academic Staff Training and Development scheme.

The scheme assigns ABU oversight in 14 critical disciplines, making the institution the national hub for postgraduate training and mentorship.

“This mandate underscores government’s confidence in ABU’s institutional capacity. It also challenges us to raise our postgraduate standards to global levels, with a deliberate focus on innovation, technology, and internationalisation,” Ahmed added.

In addition to consolidating the domestication of TETFund training, Prof Okubanjo is tasked with positioning the university as a leader in Transnational Education (TNE).

This involves developing frameworks for international partnerships, dual-degree programmes, joint supervision of research, faculty exchanges, and collaboration with foreign universities.

The statement noted that “Okubanjo is mandated to expand access and reach by promoting flexible, inclusive, and technology-driven models of postgraduate education, including hybrid and online programmes that meet the needs of diverse learners.”

The Provost is also expected to design and coordinate postgraduate curricula that support Nigeria’s development agenda while advancing ABU’s role as a centre of excellence in Africa.

The university also expects the new Provost to promote institutional visibility by engaging with stakeholders, industry, and government agencies to make ABU’s postgraduate programmes relevant to national development priorities.

Prof Okubanjo is mandated to strengthen collaboration with the private sector, ensuring that research outputs are not only published but also translated into policy and practice.

In his charge, the Vice-Chancellor emphasised that postgraduate education must go beyond “academic rituals” to become a driver of innovation and problem-solving.

“The new leadership must ensure that the College is not just a certificate-awarding institution but a hub of ideas and innovations that address Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges. We expect Okubanjo to make postgraduate training more impactful,” Prof. Ahmed stressed.

As Okubanjo formally assumes duty on Wednesday, attention will be on how quickly he can begin to translate the university’s lofty expectations into concrete outcomes.(PUNCH)