BREAKING: Governing Council Appoints Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi as New Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja

In what many observers describe as a “defining moment” for the University of Abuja, the institution’s Governing Council has announced the appointment of Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi as its new substantive Vice-Chancellor. The announcement was made during the 80th Extraordinary Meeting of the Council held on Friday, November 7, 2025, under the chairmanship of Distinguished Senator Dr. Olanrewaju Tejuoso.

According to the Council, Prof. Fawehinmi’s appointment will take effect from February 10, 2026, for a single, non-renewable five-year tenure.

Until his appointment, Prof. Fawehinmi was the Pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the Nigerian British University, a fast-rising private institution located in Asa, Abia State.

In the meantime, the Council has approved the extension of the tenure of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mathew Adamu, until February 10, 2026 — ensuring a seamless transition of leadership. Prof. Adamu was first appointed by the Federal Government on August 11, 2025.

A distinguished scholar of Clinical Anatomy and Biomedical Anthropology, Professor Fawehinmi embodies a rare blend of academic brilliance, institutional experience, and visionary leadership. His career spans over three decades of teaching, research, and service in Nigerian and international academia.

He began his academic journey at the University of Port Harcourt, where he rose through the ranks to become a two-term Head of the Department of Anatomy (2005–2009), Associate Dean (2010–2012), and later Dean of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences (2012–2014). He subsequently served two terms as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) between 2016 and 2020, before his appointment as Vice-Chancellor at the Nigerian British University.

A seasoned administrator, Prof. Fawehinmi has served on numerous statutory and ad-hoc committees and boards, experiences that have sharpened his administrative acumen and strategic foresight.

Prof. Fawehinmi’s academic record is nothing short of extraordinary. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals, 37 conference abstracts, and has participated in 78 international conferences, workshops, and training programmes across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

He has supervised over 100 undergraduate projects, 15 master’s theses, and 13 PhD dissertations, earning the respect of colleagues and students alike. In 2014, he delivered the 111th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Port Harcourt, titled “Different Tailors for the Same People; Same Surgeon for Different People” — a reflection on the evolving nature of medical and anthropological sciences.

Notably, his invention of the AMRG Anthropometry Chair for Dimensional Body Measurements earned a Federal Government Patent, underscoring his ingenuity as a scientist.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (FRAI) and a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria (FAMedS). His name also appeared in the 2021 Africa Scientist Rankings by the Alper-Doger Scientific Index, affirming his place among the continent’s top researchers.

Beyond academia, Prof. Fawehinmi has played vital roles in professional associations, including serving as Secretary-General and Member of the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Medical Association (Rivers State) between 1999 and 2000, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Anatomical Sciences, and President of the Society of Experimental and Clinical Anatomists of Nigeria (2014–2016).

He has also been an External Examiner and Professoriate Assessor for nearly all first- and second-generation universities in Nigeria, including international institutions such as the University of Exeter, UK.

Married to Dr. Hadeezat O. Fawehinmi, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Fawehinmi is a proud father of five.

As the University of Abuja welcomes its new Vice-Chancellor, expectations are high. Prof. Fawehinmi’s tenure is anticipated to usher in a new era of academic integrity, innovation, and global competitiveness. Insiders within the university community describe him as a firm but fair reformer who emphasizes discipline, meritocracy, and student-centered growth.

Given his track record in building academic partnerships, it is expected that he will strengthen UniAbuja’s international collaborations, attract research funding, and enhance the university’s reputation both locally and abroad.

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s higher education sector believe Prof. Fawehinmi’s appointment marks a strategic step toward repositioning the University of Abuja as a world-class citadel of learning — one that balances rigorous scholarship with practical innovation.

As one senior academic put it after the announcement:

“The University of Abuja is in capable hands. Prof. Fawehinmi is not just an academic; he’s a reformist with a deep understanding of how universities should work in a 21st-century Nigeria.”

With his appointment, the University of Abuja stands on the threshold of transformation — one that could redefine its future, its students, and its standing in the global academic community.