ABEOKUTA – A Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Prof. Olusola Babatunde Kehinde has assumed office as the Acting Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).
The Senate of the University had on September 22, 2022 duly nominated Prof. Kehinde as Acting Vice Chancellor, while the new Governing Council on October 7, 2022 ratified his nomination as Acting Vice Chancellor.
Prof.Kehinde, statutorily assumed office on November1, 2022 as Acting Vice Chancellor following the expiration of the tenure of the Sixth Substantive Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Felix Kolawole Salako yesterday October 31, 2022.
Until his emergence as Acting Vice Chancellor, OB as he’s fondly called by his teeming admirers within and outside the Campus was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development).
Within his short stint as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development), Prof Kehinde was commended and revered for contributing immensely to the success of Prof. Salako’s Administration.
He carved a remarkable niche for rejuvenating the ailing Industrial Park Unit of the University which he transformed to a more independent, productive and resourceful FUNAAB Integrated Venture as the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of the Unit among other feats.
A consummate Scholar, Prof. Kehinde attended University of Ibadan where he obtained a B.Sc Degree in Agricultural Biology, Second Class Honours, Upper Division in 1987; M.Sc in 1990 and a Ph.D in 1994.
He began his academic career at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in March, 1994 as Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Technology, and rose through the ranks to become a Professor in 2007.
Prof. Kehinde has served the University in various capacities which included Dean, College of Plant Science and Crop Production; Director, Institute for Human Resources and Development (INHURD); Member, FUNAAB Governing Council;Chairman and Member of notable Committees in the University.
The new Acting Vice Chancellor is a recipient of many Fellowships and Grants, both personally and for the University.
They include, Graduate Fellowship Programme at International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan; Chinese Fellowship Programme at Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, many Grants for research studies and establishment of Centre of Excellence in Agriculture.
Apart from FUNAAB, the Gbagura, Abeokuta, Ogun State born Prof. Kehinde has contributed to the development of other Universities, notably is his remarkable impact at Lagos State University, Ojoo which led to his appointment as the Acting Pioneer Dean, School of Agriculture.
He was a Visiting Lecturer at the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic.
At national level, the Acting Vice Chancellor served his father’s land as Member of the National Technical Working Group that reorganized the National Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank into the Bank of Agriculture.
He also served as Member of the National Technical Working Group (Agriculture) of the Vision 20:2020.
Prof. Kehinde has published more than fifty scientific articles in national and foreign Journals.
He is happily married to Prof.(Mrs.) Iyabode Kehinde who is presently contributing immensely to the development of the University in her capacity as Director of Academic Planning, among other engagements, and they are blessed with children.
