The University of Ibadan has welcomed Mrs Mariam Adetoun Zakariyah, FCA, as its new Bursar, marking what the institution described as the appointment of the first woman to occupy the position in the university’s 78-year history.
Zakariyah formally assumed office during a ceremony attended by members of the university community, where the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, fspsp, described her appointment as a significant milestone in the history of the institution.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the development reflected the university’s longstanding institutional traditions, culture and commitment to excellence. He said the University of Ibadan was founded on a tradition of excellence which, he noted, had continued to shape the institution’s administration and academic activities.
Adebowale also commended the outgoing Bursar, Mr Adewuyi Popoola, for what he described as his contribution to maintaining the university’s financial stability during his tenure.
The Vice-Chancellor said the process that resulted in Zakariyah’s appointment was conducted fairly and without gender or religious considerations. He emphasised that the university’s established procedures were followed in selecting the new Bursar.
He further described smooth leadership transition as one of the institutional features that had contributed to the University of Ibadan’s stability over the years.
According to him, the university’s reputation extends beyond its immediate environment and is associated with the way it conducts its affairs, as well as its emphasis on excellence, integrity and service.
Adebowale described Zakariyah’s emergence as a significant development, particularly because she is the first female Bursar since the establishment of the university in 1948.
He also stressed that the institution’s standing should not be measured solely by its physical infrastructure, but by the values and principles underpinning its administration.
“The foundation of the University of Ibadan was laid on an enduring foundation of excellence,” the Vice-Chancellor said, while urging the new Bursar to build on the work of her predecessor.
Responding, Zakariyah expressed appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor and the university’s management for what she described as a fair and seamless appointment process.
The new Bursar pledged to bring her professional experience to bear on the administration of the university’s financial affairs and to ensure that the Bursary continues to effectively discharge its responsibilities.
She said she was committed to effective service delivery and promised to justify the confidence placed in her through the appointment.
Zakariyah also sought the continued cooperation and support of the university management and other members of the institution as she begins her tenure.
Her assumption of office comes at a time when university bursaries play an important role in managing institutional finances, including budgeting, financial reporting, expenditure control, revenue management and compliance with relevant regulations.
The transition was also marked by prayers from the university’s religious leaders. The Chief Imam of the University of Ibadan, Professor Ibrahim Olatunde Uthman, and the Chaplain of the Chapel of the Resurrection, The Venerable Dr Victor Idowu Oladele, offered prayers for a smooth transition and a successful tenure for the new Bursar.
Zakariyah’s appointment therefore represents both a leadership transition within the university’s financial administration and a historic development in the institution’s senior administrative structure, with the University of Ibadan recording its first female occupant of the Bursar’s office since its establishment.
