By Adeboye Olugbenga
In just 100 days, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, has witnessed a defining chapter in its history, one marked by visionary leadership, bold reforms, and measurable transformation. Since assuming office on 1st October 2025 as the fifth substantive Vice-Chancellor and the first woman to hold this prestigious position, Prof. (Mrs) Ebunoluwa Oluwole Oduwole, FNAL, has proven beyond doubt that history is best made through impact.
Her appointment broke barriers; her performance within 100 days has reset standards.
From the very onset, Prof. Oduwole’s leadership introduced a fresh wind of transformation that has blown through faculties, units, systems, and structures, reaching the very soul of the University. Academic and non-academic staff alike have felt a renewed sense of purpose, while students are experiencing a reinvigorated learning environment rooted in discipline, innovation, and excellence.
One of the most visible hallmarks of her administration is the revitalization of the ICT Unit, strategically repositioning the University for the demands of digital scholarship and innovation. This bold step culminated in the successful securing of the Ajayi Crowther University JAMB CBT Centre, further enhancing the institution’s national relevance and institutional credibility.
Her administration has also made remarkable strides in expanding academic access through the promotion of Open and Distance Learning (ODL), aligning the University with global trends in flexible and inclusive education. These initiatives have collectively strengthened the University’s standing and repositioned Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, among its contemporaries as a forward-thinking and competitive institution.
Beyond academics, Prof. Oduwole has demonstrated exceptional foresight in driving institutional sustainability and entrepreneurship through the facilitation of Ajayi Crowther University Oyo Ventures Limited. This landmark initiative has birthed tangible products that reflect innovation meeting enterprises; ACU Bread, Ajayi Crowther Water, the University Farm, and the production of Nano Paint, a high-quality, durable paint developed through university research and expertise. These ventures not only generate revenue but also serve as practical laboratories for innovation, skill development .
Equally commendable is her deliberate encouragement of research excellence among academic staff. Under her leadership, research is being reinvigorated as a core mandate, supported by a strengthened quality assurance framework that ensures academic standards, credibility, and continuous improvement across all programmes.
On the moral and communal front, Prof. Oduwole’s impact is profound. Her leadership has transformed the narrative around staff fellowship attendance and community fellowship participation, with renewed commitment from both staff and students. This spiritual and communal reawakening affirms her belief in holistic education one that balances intellectual growth, moral discipline, and spiritual development.
Her approach to student discipline reflects firmness guided by compassion, reinforcing character formation as a cornerstone of the Ajayi Crowther University ethos.
Prof. (Mrs) Ebunoluwa Oluwole Oduwole stands tall as an achiever, a goal-getter, and a genuine agent of transformation. She is a virtuous woman, a woman of substance, and a leader whose actions speak louder than promises. In just 100 days, she has not only changed systems, she has changed mindsets, revived confidence, and laid a solid foundation for sustainable institutional greatness.
As Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, celebrates this 100-day milestone, it celebrates more than achievements; it celebrates inspired leadership, renewed hope, and a future boldly shaped by excellence.
Indeed, this is a transformation in motion. This is leadership with impact.
Adeboye Olugbenga writes from the ICT Unit, Ajayi Crowther University, (ACU), Oyo
