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The Board of Trustees of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, has approved the appointment of renowned academic and university administrator, Professor Abel Olajide Olorunnisola, as the institution’s new Vice-Chancellor and Mr. Samuel Adebisi Adeyanju, as the institution’s new Bursar.
The appointment of Professor Olorunnisola, , as the Vice-Chancellor will take effect from August 1, 2026, followed the recommendation of the university’s Governing Council and was ratified at the Board of Trustees meeting held on May 20, 2026.
The university said Professor Olorunnisola was selected in recognition of his outstanding academic credentials, wealth of administrative experience and extensive international exposure, expressing confidence that he would steer the institution into a new phase of growth, innovation and global competitiveness.
Olorunnisola, 57, is an accomplished agricultural engineer with over three decades of experience in teaching, research and university administration across Nigeria’s public and private university systems. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, before earning his master’s and doctorate degrees in Wood Products Engineering from the University of Ibadan. He also holds a Professional Diploma in Management from the Nigerian Institute of Management.
A Fellow of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers, Olorunnisola has also served as a visiting professor in universities in the United States, Brazil and Algeria, among other international academic engagements.
Before his appointment, he served as Vice-Chancellor of Dominion University, Ibadan, where he led major institutional reforms, including securing the university’s operational licence from the National Universities Commission in 2022 and achieving full accreditation for all academic programmes between 2022 and 2024. During his tenure, the university also established a Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, expanded staff and student enrolment and secured a €500,000 Erasmus+ grant to promote staff and student exchange with Greek universities.
Earlier in his career at the University of Ibadan, Olorunnisola held several strategic positions, including Dean of …graduate School, Head of the Department of Wood Products Engineering and member of the university’s Governing Council. As Dean, he introduced 23 new postgraduate programmes, strengthened the institution’s finances through prudent management and championed digital reforms, including online admissions and electronic transcript processing.
The new Vice-Chancellor is also widely respected for his research contributions. He has authored 11 books, 17 book chapters, 93
The Board of Trustees, while announcing the appointment, described Olorunnisola as a leader with “wealth of experience and professional prowess,” noting that his blend of public and private university management experience, coupled with his international network, made him the ideal person to lead the university at this critical stage of its development.
According to the Board, the appointment reflects the institution’s commitment to strengthening academic excellence, promoting cutting-edge research and advancing its vision of becoming a globally recognised university committed to societal transformation through environment-friendly technologies.
Meanwhile, the appointment of Mr. Samuel Adebisi Adeyanju, as the institution’s new Bursar was also announced. His appointment also takes effect from August 1, 2026.
Adeyanju’s appointment, approved by the Governing Council on May 13 and ratified by the Board of Trustees on May 20, is expected to strengthen the university’s financial governance and strategic resource management.
The university said Adeyanju emerged for the position based on his outstanding professional credentials and more than three decades of experience in higher education finance. A Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), he most recently served as Deputy Bursar at Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), where he supervised key financial operations, fund management and institutional engagements with financial institutions.
Before joining LASUED, Adeyanju served as Bursar of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, where he introduced major financial reforms, including an online payment system that curbed revenue leakages, streamlined the institution’s banking structure and ensured prompt salary payments despite delays in government subventions. He also played a key role in the institution’s successful transition into a university of education in 2022.
His appointment marks a return to Bells University, where he previously spent more than 11 years, rising from Principal Accountant to Deputy Bursar. During his earlier stint, he managed critical bursary operations, coordinated financial reporting and served on several strategic committees. He also represented the university in corporate engagements and contributed significantly to budget planning and institutional administration.
Welcoming the appointment, the Governing Council expressed confidence in Adeyanju’s ability to advance the university’s financial objectives, describing his “wealth of experience and professional prowess.”
