Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has approved the appointment of Professor Razaq Kalilu as the substantive Vice Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.
This was contained in a statement signed by the State’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu, and made available to journalists in Ibadan.
According to the statement, Prof. Kalilu is to serve as a substantive VC for a single term of five years with effect from June 12, 2024.
The statement read: “The government looks forward to his hard work, diligence and professionalism in realizing its mission for the institution.
"Prof Kalilu is a well-established figure in the world of Art and Art history. He joined the service of LAUTECH on September 1, 1992 and was pronounced a Professor of Arts and Arts History in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, 24 years ago on October 1, 1999 and was appointed as Acting Vice-Chancellor on June 12, 2023.
“Kalilu, an alumnus of the prestigious University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and the University of Ibadan (UI), is a polymath and specialist in Form and Material Technology. His administrative skills and leadership experiences are intense, integrous and ambidextrous.
“Among the numerous academic leadership positions he held, he was Head of Department of Fine and Applied Arts from 1998 to 2003; Dean of Faculty of Environmental Sciences from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2012 to 2016; Chairman, Committee of Deans in 2004; and from 2004 to 2006 the Chairman, Committee of Deans and Provosts, he was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH between 2006 and 2008.
“Professor Kalilu is a recipient of many national and international prizes and awards, which include: the Gold Medal in the 1978–1979 All Africa Painting Contest; Elected Membership of the New York Academy of Sciences in recognition of his contributions to Science and Technology; Merit Prize in International Postage Stamp Design Contest in 1997; the Outstanding People of the 20th Century Outstanding Achievement Medal in 2000; and the Twentieth Century Achievement Award in 2001.”
Professor Kalilu, who hails from Ogbomosho, Oyo State, is a member of several academic and intellectual organizations. They include the Australian Ceramic Society and the International Association of Astronomical Artists. He is a fellow of the Society of Nigerian Artists.