Professor Razaq Olatunde Rom Kalilu’s career at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, stands out among recent leadership stories at Nigerian state universities.
He became Acting Vice-Chancellor in June 2023 and was confirmed as the university’s substantive Vice-Chancellor in June 2024.
This was especially significant because he is the first person from Ogbomoso to hold this position in LAUTECH’s history.
This article covers his appointment timeline, background, and the impact of his leadership on the university.
Contents
The Appointment Timeline
June 12, 2023: Acting Vice-Chancellor
Professor Kalilu became Acting Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH after Professor Mojeed Olaide Liasu, who passed away in 2023.
Kalilu took on the role when the university needed stable, experienced leadership, drawing on his many years of administrative work at LAUTECH.
June 12, 2024: Confirmed as Substantive Vice-Chancellor
One year after he became Acting Vice-Chancellor, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde approved Professor Kalilu’s appointment as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH.
The announcement came from the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Salihu Adelabu, after the university’s Governing Council recommended him.
Kalilu will serve a single five-year term starting from that date.
This process, where someone first serves as Acting Vice-Chancellor before being formally confirmed, is common at Nigerian state universities.
Acting leaders usually have a set period to show their abilities before the state government makes a full, single-term appointment.
Why His Emergence as Substantive VC Was Significant
Professor Kalilu’s confirmation was especially historic because he is the first person from Ogbomoso to serve as Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH in its 34-year history.
He was chosen after a competitive selection process that included ten other applicants.
While some people wondered whether his hometown played a role in his selection, most reports said he was chosen on merit, thanks to his strong administrative background and his performance as Acting VC.
Professor Kalilu’s Academic and Administrative Background
Professor Kalilu is a Professor of Art and Art History in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, which is part of LAUTECH’s Faculty of Environmental Sciences.
His academic background includes:
- Education: He is an alumnus of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and the University of Ibadan.
- Joined LAUTECH: September 1, 1992.
- Promoted to Professor: October 1, 1999, becoming a Professor of Arts and Art History in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts.
- He pioneered Nigeria’s first Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degree program in Fine and Applied Arts, which started in 1992.
Before becoming Vice-Chancellor, he held several important administrative roles at LAUTECH, including:
- Head of Department of Fine and Applied Arts (1998–2003)
- Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences (2003–2006, and again 2012–2016)
- Chairman, Committee of Deans (2004)
- Chairman, Committee of Deans and Provosts (2004–2006)
- Deputy Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH (2006–2008)
Awards and Recognitions
Professor Kalilu has received several national and international honors, such as:
- Gold Medal in the 1978–1979 All Africa Painting Contest
- Elected Membership of the New York Academy of Sciences, in recognition of his contributions to Science and Technology
- Merit Prize in the International Postage Stamp Design Contest (1997)
- Outstanding Achievement Medal, Outstanding People of the 20th Century (2000)
- Selection as one of the 1000 Leaders of World Influence for the 21st Century (2000)
- Universal Award of Accomplishment (2000)
- Twentieth Century Achievement Award (2001)
He is also a member of several professional and academic organizations, such as the Society of Nigerian Artists (as a Fellow), the Australian Ceramic Society, and the International Association of Astronomical Artists.
About Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
LAUTECH is a public research university in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, founded on April 23, 1990.
It was once called Oyo State University and is jointly owned by the Oyo and Osun State governments.
The university has tens of thousands of students and thousands of staff members across its faculties.
Its motto, “Excellence, Integrity and Service,” shows the university’s main values.
What’s Expected From His Tenure
After he was confirmed as substantive Vice-Chancellor, many expected Professor Kalilu to build on and improve the achievements from his year as Acting VC.
At the time, both students and staff generally viewed his acting tenure positively, which set high expectations for his new role.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology said the government expected him to use his hard work, diligence, and professionalism to help the university reach its goals during his five-year term.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Is Professor Kalilu still LAUTECH’s Acting Vice-Chancellor?
No, not anymore. He was appointed Acting Vice-Chancellor on June 12, 2023, but Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde later confirmed him as substantive Vice-Chancellor, effective June 12, 2024, for a single five-year term.
2. When does Professor Kalilu’s term as substantive VC end?
His confirmed single term runs for five years from June 12, 2024, meaning his term is set to conclude around June 2029, barring any changes to that arrangement.
3. Who did Professor Kalilu succeed as Acting Vice-Chancellor?
He succeeded Professor Mojeed Olaide Liasu, who had served as Acting Vice-Chancellor before passing away in 2023.
4. What is Professor Kalilu’s academic background?
He is a Professor of Art and Art History, an alumnus of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and the University of Ibadan.
He has been affiliated with LAUTECH’s Faculty of Environmental Sciences since joining the university in 1992.
5. Why was his appointment as substantive VC considered historically significant?
He became the first Ogbomoso-born indigene to serve as Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH in the institution’s history at the time of his confirmation, a notable milestone given the university’s location in Ogbomoso.
6. What administrative roles did Professor Kalilu hold before becoming VC?
He served as Head of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences (across two separate terms), Chairman of the Committee of Deans, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Provosts, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH between 2006 and 2008.
7. How many candidates competed for the substantive VC position?
Professor Kalilu’s eventual confirmation followed a competitive selection process against ten other applicants.
8. What notable academic contribution is Professor Kalilu known for?
He pioneered Nigeria’s first Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degree program in Fine and Applied Arts, established in 1992.
9. What international recognitions has Professor Kalilu received?
His honours include Elected Membership of the New York Academy of Sciences, selection as one of the 1000 Leaders of World Influence for the 21st Century, and the Universal Award of Accomplishment, among several other national and international awards spanning his career in art and academia.
10. Who confirmed Professor Kalilu’s appointment as substantive VC?
Oyo State Governor Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde approved the appointment, with the announcement made by the state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Salihu Adelabu.
Final Thoughts
Professor Razaq Olatunde Rom Kalilu’s journey from Acting Vice-Chancellor to confirmed substantive Vice-Chancellor at LAUTECH highlights his long administrative experience and marks a historic first for people from Ogbomoso at the university.
Now that his five-year term has started, his leadership is being compared to the strong impression he made as Acting VC.
Both the state government and the university’s Governing Council have shown confidence that he will meet these expectations.
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