In a significant leadership overhaul, President Bola Tinubu has dismissed Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi from her position as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, recently renamed Yakubu Gowon University. The president also dissolved the university’s governing council.
Professor Maikudi, appointed as the 7th substantive Vice-Chancellor in December 2024, had been leading initiatives to enhance academic standards and infrastructure. Her tenure was marked by efforts to stabilize the university during challenging times.
Following her removal, President Tinubu appointed Professor Lar Patricia Manko as the Acting Vice-Chancellor for a six-month term. Professor Manko, a seasoned academic, is expected to steer the university through this transitional period. Notably, she will not be eligible to apply for the permanent Vice-Chancellor position once her interim term concludes.
In addition to these changes, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, previously the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, has been appointed as the new Pro-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University. He succeeds the dissolved governing council and is anticipated to bring renewed leadership to the institution.
These decisions have elicited mixed reactions within the academic community. While some stakeholders view the leadership changes as a positive step towards reform, others have expressed concerns about the abrupt transitions. The federal government has yet to provide detailed reasons for these significant changes.
