A Former Speaker of the Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Adejare Bello, has been appointed by the Federal Government as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.

Adejare’s appointment was announced via a statement issued by the spokesperson for the university, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, on Friday in Ile-Ife, Osun.

Olarewaju said that the appointment of Bello would impact a rich blend of legislative experience, diplomatic exposure, and deep-rooted commitment to the institution’s educational advancement.

“Bello has previously served as the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, where he demonstrated exemplary leadership of integrity and dedication to democratic governance,

“The new Pro-Chancellor has also served as an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mexico in June 2021, meritoriously.

“He has concurrent accreditation to Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama, contributing significantly to the countries’ diplomatic engagements and international relations for intergovernmental development,” the spokesperson said.

According to him, the new pro-chancellor is an alumnus of OAU and hails from Ede

“Bello earned his degree in Law, and this enduring connection to the university uniquely positions him to understand the institution’s heritage, aspirations and strategic direction,” he added.

The university expressed confidence in Bello’s capacity to provide visionary leadership, work harmoniously with Council members, management, staff, unions, students, alumni and other stakeholders in advancing its mission.

“The entire university community congratulates Rt. Hon. Adejare Bello on this well-deserved appointment and looks forward to a new era of stability, progress, and excellence under his chairmanship,” the spokesperson said.

Adejare replaces the former Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, who died in December, 2025. (The Nation)