Prof. Fawehinmi assumes office as 8th substantive VC of University of Abuja

Prof. Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi on Thursday formally assumed office as the 8th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, taking over from Professor Mathew Adamu, who had served in an acting capacity since August 11, 2025.

Fawehinmi’s appointment was approved by the University’s eleventh Governing Council during its 80th Extraordinary Meeting on November 7, 2025, following a rigorous and transparent selection process.

Upon resuming, the new Vice-Chancellor expressed gratitude to the Council, Senate, staff, students, alumni, and the broader University community for their warm reception. He pledged to collaborate with all stakeholders to enhance academic excellence, research output, innovation, institutional stability, and the overall student experience.

“The University will, under my leadership, actively seek opportunities for collaboration and funding to strengthen our programmes, expand academic and executive offerings, and widen access to education within the Federal Capital Territory and beyond. With your support, we will achieve our vision of becoming a world-class University,” Fawehinmi said.

Staff, students, and members of the University community expressed optimism about his appointment, citing his reputation for discipline, academic rigor, and administrative experience.

Prof. Fawehinmi is a renowned scholar of clinical anatomy and biomedical anthropology, with over 30 years of academic, research, and administrative leadership at both national and international levels. He holds a BMedSc in Anatomy and an MBBS from the University of Port Harcourt, an MSc in Medical Anthropology from the University of London, and a Doctor of Medicine (MD), the highest academic qualification in the medical profession.

He is also a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (FRAI), the Anatomical Society of Nigeria (FASN), the Experimental and Clinical Anatomists of Nigeria (FECAN), and the Academy of Medical Specialties of Nigeria (FAMedS).

The new Vice-Chancellor has already begun consultations with principal officers, faculty leaders, student representatives, and unions to ensure a smooth transition and align priorities for the next strategic phase of the University’s development.

culled from vanguard