Tinubu’s Latest Appointment Sparks Reactions As Former UNILAG VC Emerges NUC Chairman

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has named Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), as the new Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The appointment was announced on Monday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Professor Ogundipe takes over from Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who stepped down from the position after serving for less than a year. Professor Aina was appointed by President Tinubu in July 2025, while the board was officially inaugurated in November of the same year.

A renowned academic, Professor Ogundipe led UNILAG as Vice-Chancellor between 2017 and 2022. He is a Professor of Botany with extensive expertise in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation.

He earned his doctorate in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and also holds an MBA from the University of Lagos.

Currently serving as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University in Ede, Osun State, the 66-year-old scholar is a fellow of several prestigious professional bodies, including the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London, and the Royal Society of Biology, London. He has also previously served as President of the Botanical Society of Nigeria and Chairman of the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).

In his new role as NUC Chairman, Professor Ogundipe will be responsible for guiding the commission’s efforts to strengthen university funding, improve academic standards, enhance global competitiveness, and ensure stability across Nigeria’s higher education sector.

President Tinubu expressed confidence in Ogundipe’s ability to provide strategic leadership that will uphold the integrity and credibility of the Nigerian university system while advancing the goals of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in promoting quality education, broader access, and institutional excellence.