ABUJA, Nigeria \u2014 The University of Abuja, recently renamed Yakubu Gowon University, has appointed Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi as its new vice chancellor, marking a pivotal moment in the institution\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The announcement was made during the university\u2019s 80th Extraordinary Governing Council Meeting, held on Nov. 7 and chaired by Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso. Professor Fawehinmi, a seasoned academic and administrator, is expected to assume office on Feb. 10, 2026, for a single five-year term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fawehinmi previously served as vice chancellor of the Nigerian British University in Asa, Abia State. His appointment follows months of uncertainty after the controversial exit of former vice chancellor Professor Aisha Maikudi, who was removed amid internal disputes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the interim, Professor Mathew Adamu will continue to serve as acting vice chancellor until Fawehinmi\u2019s tenure begins, according to a statement released by Dr. Habib Yakoob, the university\u2019s acting director of information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe council believes Professor Fawehinmi brings the experience and vision needed to guide the university through its next chapter,\u201d Yakoob said. \u201cHis track record in academic leadership speaks for itself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The appointment comes less than a year after the federal government officially renamed the University of Abuja to Yakubu Gowon University on Dec. 16, 2024. The decision, announced by Minister of Information Mohammed Idris following a Federal Executive Council meeting, was made in honor of Nigeria\u2019s former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who had recently celebrated his 90th birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking on the appointment, a spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Education said the government \u201cfully supports the council\u2019s decision\u201d and views Fawehinmi\u2019s leadership as \u201ca strategic step toward revitalizing the university\u2019s academic culture and national relevance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe renaming and leadership transition reflect our commitment to honoring legacy while investing in the future of higher education,\u201d the spokesperson added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Grace Eze, a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education, welcomed the appointment, calling it \u201ca breath of fresh air.\u201d She added, \u201cWe need someone who understands both the academic and administrative challenges facing Nigerian universities today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students also expressed cautious optimism. \u201cWe just want stability and better learning conditions,\u201d said Ibrahim Musa, a third-year law student. \u201cIf the new VC can deliver on that, he\u2019ll have our support.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) issued a congratulatory note, urging Fawehinmi to prioritize staff welfare, infrastructure development, and digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is a critical time for higher education in Nigeria,\u201d said Professor Olufemi Bamiro, a former vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan. \u201cFawehinmi must balance tradition with innovation, especially as the university rebrands under a new name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The decision to rename the University of Abuja has drawn both praise and criticism. While some view it as a tribute to national unity, others question the timing and relevance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRenaming a federal university should involve broader consultation,\u201d said Dr. Ngozi Okon, an education policy analyst. \u201cIt\u2019s symbolic, yes, but it must also reflect the aspirations of the academic community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the university prepares for a new era, stakeholders are hopeful that Fawehinmi\u2019s administration will prioritize transparency, academic excellence, and student engagement. The spotlight now turns to February, when his leadership officially begins.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ABUJA, Nigeria \u2014 The University of Abuja, recently renamed Yakubu Gowon University, has appointed Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi as its new vice chancellor, marking a pivotal moment in the institution\u2019s leadership. The announcement was made during the university\u2019s 80th Extraordinary Governing Council Meeting, held on Nov. 7 and chaired by Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso. Professor Fawehinmi, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":23765,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,8,3],"tags":[748,745,752,747,751,746,749,741,744,607,740,750,743,742,739],"class_list":["post-23764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-jobs","category-naija-news","tag-leadershiptransition","tag-academicreform","tag-campusupdates","tag-educationnews","tag-fawehinmi2026","tag-federaluniversities","tag-gowon90","tag-hakeemfawehinmi","tag-higherednigeria","tag-nigeriaeducation","tag-uniabuja","tag-uniabujarebranded","tag-universityleadership","tag-vicechancellor","tag-yakubugowonuniversity"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.funminews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Professor-Hakeem-Fawehinmi.jpg?fit=715%2C1080&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23764"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23764\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23766,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23764\/revisions\/23766"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}