The current deputy vice chancellor (Development), Professor Mufutau Olaoye Atayese, has been appointed the pioneer vice chancellor of the newly established Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies, Iragbiji (FUADSI), Osun State.

He will be steering the ship of the newly established institution for a single term of five years.

Professor Atayese is a renowned expert in Plant Nutrition, bringing to his new role a wealth of experience spanning over three decades in teaching, research, and university administration.

An alumnus of the University of Lagos, where he earned his B.Sc. in Botany (1985), and the University of Ibadan, where he obtained his M.Sc. (1990) and Ph.D. (1995) in Plant Physiology, Professor Atayese has consistently demonstrated excellence in scholarship and service.

Over the years, he has held several strategic leadership positions at FUNAAB, including the Dean, College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT); Chairman, Management Committee on Transportation; Chairman, Committee of Deans (CODAD); Member, Governing Council and the Deputy Dean, Students’ Affairs, among others.

He has also served on numerous statutory and ad hoc committees, including the Appointments and Promotions Committee for Academics, Board of Postgraduate Studies, Academic Planning and Curriculum Committee, and the Task Force on the University’s Relocation to the Permanent Site. Notably, he contributed significantly to the Review of Postgraduate Rules and Regulations in 2025.

His academic contributions and leadership have earned him several recognitions, including, Fellow, Agricultural Society of Nigeria (FASN), and Visiting Research Fellowship (M.Sc.), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, among numerous others.

Reacting to the appointment, the vice chancellor of FUNAAB, Professor Babatunde Kehinde, congratulated Professor Atayese on the well-deserved recognition, describing it as “a testament to FUNAAB’s legacy of producing leaders of excellence and vision.”

He wished him great success as he leads FUADSI into a new era of agricultural innovation, academic excellence, and national development.