Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, has appointed Distinguished Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello as its Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, making her the first woman to occupy the position since the institution was established in 2005.
The appointment, which took effect on November 1, 2026, is for an initial three-year term and marks a significant development in the university’s leadership history. It also brings to the institution an academic administrator whose career spans university teaching, research, institutional governance and executive leadership.
The appointment was conveyed in a letter dated November 1, 2026, by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and Visitor to Redeemer’s University, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.
In the letter, Adeboye expressed confidence in Olatunji-Bello’s capacity to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of the university, describing the appointment as a reflection of the trust placed in her.
He expressed the expectation that she would justify the confidence by helping the institution move closer to the realisation of its vision.
“While we wish you a successful tenure, kindly accept our congratulations,” Adeboye stated, assuring the new Pro-Chancellor of the continued love and prayers of the RCCG.
As Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Olatunji-Bello is expected to provide strategic leadership to the university’s Governing Council, with responsibilities that include strengthening institutional governance, supporting strategic direction and advancing the institution’s pursuit of academic excellence.
Her appointment comes at a period when Nigerian universities are under increasing pressure to strengthen research output, improve infrastructure, achieve financial sustainability, expand international collaborations and respond to changing demands in higher education.
For Redeemer’s University, the new leadership transition is expected to contribute to its continuing institutional development, particularly in governance, research and innovation, academic expansion and its ambition to strengthen its position within the global higher education community.
Outgoing Pro-Chancellor describes appointment as a valuable addition
Reacting to the appointment, the immediate past Pro-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, FAS, described Olatunji-Bello as the right choice for the position, expressing confidence that her experience and established professional relationships would contribute to the university’s development.
Ogundipe noted that she had built considerable social capital and goodwill over the years and had demonstrated a willingness to deploy these resources in the service of institutions and organisations where she had held leadership responsibilities.
He expressed the expectation that her appointment would bring additional value to the university and support its continued institutional growth.
Ogundipe’s comments also come as he assumes a new national responsibility as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC), following his previous service at Redeemer’s University.
Vice-Chancellor anticipates renewed institutional development
The Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Professor Shadrach Olufemi Akindele, described the appointment as an important development for the institution, expressing excitement over Olatunji-Bello’s emergence.
He said the university was pleased to welcome her as it continued its efforts to attain higher levels of achievement in the global higher education landscape.
Akindele also linked the appointment to the institution’s aspirations for improved financial sustainability and infrastructure development, describing it as part of the continuation of the vision and institutional legacies associated with the immediate past Pro-Chancellor.
The Vice-Chancellor’s remarks highlight two important areas likely to feature prominently in the university’s governance priorities: the development of sustainable financial structures and the provision of infrastructure capable of supporting teaching, research and other institutional activities.
From physiology researcher to university leadership
Professor Olatunji-Bello was born in Lagos on April 23, 1964. Her educational journey began at Anglican Girls’ Primary School, Surulere, where she studied from 1970 to 1974, before proceeding to Lagos Anglican Girls’ Grammar School, Surulere, between 1974 and 1979.
She later attended Methodist Girls’ High School and the Lagos State College of Science and Technology, Ikosi Campus, where she completed her Advanced Level studies in 1982.
She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree with honours in Physiology from the University of Ibadan in 1985. Following her National Youth Service Corps programme at the University of Lagos, she earned a Master of Science degree in Physiology from the same institution in 1987.
Her academic and research development also included a six-month research fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Centre, San Antonio, United States, in 1994. She subsequently earned her PhD in Physiology from the University of Lagos in 1998.
Olatunji-Bello joined the University of Lagos as an Assistant Lecturer in 1988 and progressed through the academic ranks over the following years.
Her career progression included appointments as Lecturer II between 1991 and 1996, Lecturer I from 1996 to 1999, Senior Lecturer between 1999 and 2005, and Associate Professor from 2005 to 2007.
On October 2, 2007, she was appointed the first Professor of Physiology at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), marking a significant milestone in her academic career.
In recognition of her contributions to the academic development of the Department of Physiology at Lagos State University, the university’s Senate conferred on her the title of Distinguished Professor of Physiology in January 2026.
Beyond her scientific training, Olatunji-Bello has pursued additional academic and professional development in education, theology and public policy.
She obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Theology from the Redeemed Christian Church of God Bible College in 2001 and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from Lagos State University in 2018.
In 2012, she attended Course 34 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, as a nominee of the National Universities Commission. She was subsequently awarded the distinguished membership of the National Institute, represented by the designation mni.
Her professional affiliations include the Physiological Society of the United Kingdom, which conferred its fellowship on her in 2017; the Physiological Society of Nigeria; the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Mitigation, in 2019; the Nigeria Psychology Association, in 2022; the Society of Educational Administrators of Nigeria, in 2023; the National Labour Institute, in 2023; and the Society for Peace Studies and Practice, also in 2023.
In May 2023, she received the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) Award from former President Muhammadu Buhari.
A record of university administration and institutional governance
Olatunji-Bello’s administrative experience at Lagos State University extends across departmental leadership, university management and governing council responsibilities.
She served as Head of the Department of Physiology at LASUCOM between 2007 and 2008 before becoming Deputy Vice-Chancellor from 2008 to 2010.
She subsequently served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) between 2011 and 2013. Her leadership experience also included two periods as Acting Vice-Chancellor: July to December 2010 and January to October 2011.
Between 2016 and 2020, she served as the pioneer Director of the Directorate of Advancement, a position that further exposed her to institutional development and university engagement responsibilities.
Her involvement in university governance also included service on the Lagos State University Governing Council in different capacities. She was a government representative on the Council between 2004 and 2008, served through her positions as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Acting Vice-Chancellor between 2008 and 2012, and later represented the university Senate on the Council from 2017 to 2021.
On September 17, 2021, she was appointed the ninth substantive Vice-Chancellor and second female Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University by the Lagos State Governor and Visitor to the institution, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
Her appointment as Redeemer’s University Pro-Chancellor therefore represents another major leadership responsibility in a career that has combined academic scholarship with senior university administration.
What her appointment means for Redeemer’s University
The emergence of Olatunji-Bello as the first female Pro-Chancellor in Redeemer’s University’s history adds a new dimension to the institution’s leadership profile. More importantly, her experience in academic administration and university governance comes at a time when higher institutions are expected to demonstrate stronger accountability, strategic planning and measurable institutional performance.
The Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council occupy important positions in university governance. While the Vice-Chancellor leads the day-to-day academic and administrative operations of the institution, the Governing Council provides oversight on major policy, institutional direction, resource management and strategic priorities within its statutory responsibilities.
This makes the relationship between the Council and university management particularly important in determining how effectively an institution responds to challenges involving infrastructure, staff welfare, research funding, academic standards and financial sustainability.
For Redeemer’s University, the new Pro-Chancellor’s experience across these areas could become relevant as the institution continues to pursue its academic and developmental objectives.
Her three-year appointment will also provide an opportunity for the university to strengthen its governance structures, consolidate existing achievements and address emerging demands within Nigeria’s increasingly competitive higher education environment.
As she assumes office, attention will be on how the new Governing Council leadership works with the Vice-Chancellor and other university authorities to translate the institution’s vision into sustainable improvements in academic quality, research, infrastructure and institutional development.
Her appointment is not only a historic first for Redeemer’s University but also another milestone in the leadership journey of a Nigerian academic whose professional career has traversed the laboratory, lecture room, university management and governing council.
