The Vice Chancellor
September 12, 2023 2026-03-22 10:16The Vice Chancellor
Professor Olatunji OYELANA
Professor Olatunji OYELANA was the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Christopher University, Mowe, Ogun State, Nigeria (2021-2026), a native of IJEBU-ONI in Ogun Waterside Local Government of Ogun State, born into the Royal Fiwagbade Dynasty, a distinguished academic and researcher of repute. He got his doctorate degree (PhD) in Plant Biology in 1997 from the prestigious University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria. He was appointed a full Professor in 2012 by Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Nigeria. He started his academic career at the University of Lagos as a Graduate Assistant (1991), and has thirty (30) years of university teaching, leadership, administrative and research experiences till date. Over half of these years were spent working with private universities: as a pioneer staff, academic leader, professor, principal officer and chief executive.
He has pioneered three (3) universities including Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State (2012-2016), Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State (2016-2017) and University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Bayelsa State, Nigeria (2017-2021) from ZERO student population to fully fledged and successful institutions, as a Professor, Dean of Faculties, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Acting Vice-Chancellor. He served in different capacities as a professor and Head of Academic programmes at Babcock University from 2004-2008, Head, Departments of Biological Sciences, Redeemer’s University (2009-2012) and Elizade University (2012-2013), Dean, Faculties of Basic and Applied Sciences, Elizade University (2013-2015) and University of Africa, Toru-Orua (2017-2021). Twice, he served as the Director, Academic Planning and Quality Control Directorate: first as a Ranking member, Babcock University (2007-2008) and full Director, University of Africa, Toru-Orua (2019-2021).He was appointed the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State in 2016, where he equally headed the Directorate for International Linkages and University Market and Research Unit. He was appointed the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State in 2015-2016, and charged with the responsibility of repositioning the University, and as well as, presenting the faculties, departments and programmes for NUC accreditation in 2015. He chaired a number of Administrative and Academic Committees and Taskforces (including Senate Committees) while at Babcock University, Redeemer’s University, Elizade University, Chrisland University and University of Africa, and he helped prepare policy statements and guidelines for the take-off of academic programmes, and as well, for daily administration and management of these Universities.
He has led and supervised a number of NUC Resource Verification Exercise into the establishment of new academic programmes, and Accreditation Exercise into approved academic programmes for all the universities mentioned above. He has served as a member of University Senate, Governing Councils and Board of Trustees while serving as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Chrisland University, Director, Academic Planning, University of Africa and acting Vice-Chancellor, Elizade University at different times, where he helped provide policy direction and guidelines for the smooth running and daily administration and management of these Universities.
He is a member of the Editorial Boards, Journal of Plant Science and Research, India and West African Journal of Research and Innovation Management (WARIMA). He was voted the General secretary and Financial Secretary respectively, for the Environment and Behavior Association of Nigeria and West African Journal of Research and Innovation Management Association. He is also an Associate Editor to over six journals locally and internationally, and Manuscript Reviewer for numerous journals. He has attended over 40 academic conferences and workshops nationally and internationally, and has published numerous academic articles in referred journals locally and internationally.
He has helped attract industry sponsorships and scholarship grants to Elizade University. The grants were utilized towards the successful hosting of international conferences and workshops at the University, including WARIMA, 2014. In a similar vein, he facilitated a special human capacity training project through industry funding, collaboration and sponsorship, with technical support provided by Elizade University (VIPL-ELIZADE U Training partnerships) for the purposes of training and building capacity of the staff and engineers of the Electricity Distribution Companies in Nigeria. He has equally attracted research grants towards his personal research and development, and he is presently a UNESCO scholar.
Professor Olatunji OYELANA assumed duty as the Vice-Chancellor of Vision University, Ikogbo, Ogun State on Monday 2nd March, 2026, and he brings along with him, a wealth of highly specialized experiences. These pioneering endeavors have provided him with unique exposure and experiences in university administration, high level leadership roles, facilitator of collaborative research, and in human resources and capacity building. His experiences have been a real success in all these private and public Universities which he has helped to pioneer.
