The appointment of Professor Olayemi Akinwunmi as the new Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja has drawn applauds from different quarters with the latest from the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church No 1, Lokoja District Headquarters.
The Governing Council of the Federal University of Lokoja had, in December, appointed Professor Olayemi Akinwumi as the third Vice-Chancellor of the university, thereby becoming the first indigenous VC of the University.
Olawunmi happens to be the first Seraph to have attained such apex position of a University in the country.
In a meeting put up to appreciate God for the appointment, the Leader in Charge of the Church, Special Apostle I.I Okheime (JP) asked God to bless and order the steps of the New VC.
“The Leader in Charge, Elders in Council and the members of C&S Movement Church No 1, Lokoja District Headquarters heartily felicitates with our Son, Brother and Father who was recently appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja,” says Elder Okheime.
He was also quoted as describing the appointment as the will of the almighty God.
The Church Leader prayed for God to bless and abide with Prof. Olayemi Akinwunmi all through his tenure.
The governing council said it received 81 applications from various parts of the country.
Professor Olayemi Akinwumi PhD, FHSN, AvHF, MNAL is a Distinguished Professor of History. He had his higher education at the University of Ilorin where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in 1985 followed by Master’s and PhD degrees in History in the same university. He is a Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN), and former President of the Historical Society, the first Academic Society in Nigeria.
He has won many international and national academic awards. Among the awards are the Prof Ali Mazrui academic awards for Academic Excellence in Kenya, the Stellenbosch Institute of Advanced Study Award (South Africa), the prestigious German Alexander von Humboldt award, Universitat Zurich (Switzerland) Nord-Sud-Kooperation Award, Europe Research Award (in University College, London) the Institute of Commonwealth Studies award (University of London), the German Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdiendt (DAAD), UNESCO Scholar (Committee for the Pedagogical Use of the General History of African Project in 2011) and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) scholars at several times. He also had the Bayo kuku award by the Nigeria Academy of Letters.
Professor Akinwumi has served in various capacities in the University. He was the first substantive HOD History (2004-2007). He was the Deputy Dean of Arts (2004-2006). He was the Dean of Arts (2006-2010). In 2009, he was elected the Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors. The same year, he was elected Senate representative in the Governing Council where he served in many committees.
In 2017, he was appointed as the Director of Institute of Governance and Development Studies In 2018 he became the Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies and in 2019, he was appointed for the second time, the Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors.
He is an erudite scholar with over 70 publications in national and international journals. Two of his major works are Conflict and Crises in Nigeria: A Political history since 1960 and the Colonial Contest for the Nigerian Region: A History of the German Participation. Both books were published in Germany. He has attended conferences in over 30 countries in the world.
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