Babcock’s new VC Oyewole outlines vision of service, integrity as he assumes leadership

The newly inaugurated Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, Prof. Afolarin Ojewole, has set out a leadership blueprint anchored on cultivating servant-leaders and strengthening the institution’s moral, academic, and spiritual foundations.

Ojewole, who took office on Monday during a ceremony at the university stadium themed “A New Chapter,” pledged to lead with humility, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to the Seventh-day Adventist values of love, faith, integrity, inclusion, and service to humanity.

He said his mission was rooted in Babcock’s guiding philosophy and corporate vision, explaining that his administration would focus on “building people -building servant-leaders for a better world; building people for leadership; transforming lives.”

According to him, this vision encompasses nurturing the intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual development of students, instilling noble character traits, and producing graduates marked by integrity, excellence, accountability, and dedication.

Ojewole further unveiled a strategic agenda encapsulated in the acronym G.R.A.C.E, aimed at producing globally competitive graduates, promoting research and innovation, and reinforcing Adventist principles and entrepreneurship within the campus community.

He announced several immediate administrative interventions, including the suspension of environmental levy deductions for all junior workers and staff living off campus. He also established a Truth, Healing and Reconciliation Commission, which begins sitting this week, encouraging staff and students to seek redress through its platform.

To enhance transparency and engagement, the vice-chancellor launched BUVoice, a digital feedback and reporting platform designed to strengthen communication and accountability across the institution.

On student welfare, Ojewole pledged to acquire a new bus to resolve persistent transport challenges encountered during clinical postings and field trips.

Reiterating his commitment to academic excellence, he appealed for cooperation from staff, students, alumni, and stakeholders to build on the achievements of his predecessors and elevate the university further.

Business Hallmark had reported that in his address, outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ademola Tayo, reflected on his decade-long tenure, which began on December 1, 2015. He noted that his administration delivered more than 50 major capital projects valued at ₦13.9bn through prudent resource management.

Among these were the new Senate building, Engineering and Environmental Sciences complexes, expansion of the Ben Carson School of Medicine, upgrades to Nursing, Allied Health, and Pharmacy faculties, and enhancements to the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, including a modern radiology centre equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic tools.

Tayo also disclosed that his administration cleared an inherited debt of ₦17.536bn, which initially posed significant challenges to the university’s early progress.

Offering guidance to Ojewole, Tayo urged him to anchor his leadership in faith, listen actively, especially in the first 100 days, and protect the institution’s spiritual identity with courage and conviction.

“You inherit an institution strengthened by God, supported by dedicated men and women, and poised for a greater future. Lead it with courage. Lead it with faith. Lead it with vision,” he advised.

Babcock University, owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is one of Nigeria’s foremost private institutions, recognised for its integration of moral values with academic training. The new administration assumes leadership at a time when universities nationwide face rising operational costs, rapid technological changes, and increasing demand for graduates equipped with both professional competence and ethical depth.