Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has appointed Nigeria’s richest woman, Folorunso Alakija, Chancellor of Osun State University, Osogbo.
A statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, stated that, pursuant to the provisions of clause 5(8) of the first Schedule to the Osun State University (Establishment) Law, 2006, the governor is privileged to appointment Mrs. Alakija as the Chancellor of the University.
The appointment, which according to the statement takes immediate effect, will be for a period of five years.
The statement noted that statute 3(1) (a) and statute 5 of the Osun State University Law (2006) provides that the university shall have a chancellor, who shall, in relation to the university take precedence before all other members of the university and when he is present shall preside at all meetings of convocation held for conferring degrees, diplomas, certificates and other awards.
Aregbesola, while congratulating the new chancellor, said Mrs. Alakija’s antecedent and sterling qualities as a God-fearing woman, a person of honour, integrity and successful business woman will no doubt impact positively on the running of Osun State University.
The governor pointed out that government of Osun will look forward to a great working relationship with the new chancellor as she leads Osun State University, Osogbo, to a new height of excellence.
”I wish to inform you, that the investiture is expected to hold during the 4th convocation ceremony of the institution, proposed to come up on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th February, 2016 (sic).
“While congratulating you once again, please accept the assurance of best regards of the people and Government of Osun”.
In her acceptance letter addressed to the governor and received on Tuesday, January 26, Alakija said “It is with pleasure that I receive and accept the appointment as the chancellor of the University of Osun State. I pray for God’s grace and strength to execute my duties as Chancellor of the University during my five-year tenure.”
Alakija is the second richest African woman after Isabel Dos Santos, daughter of Angola’s President José Eduardo dos Santos. She is the group managing director of The Rose of Sharon Group which consists of The Rose of Sharon Prints & Promotions Limited and Digital Reality Prints Limited and the executive vice-chairman of Famfa Oil Limited.
The 63-year-old is ranked by Forbes as the richest woman in Nigeria with an estimated net worth of $2.1 billion. As of 2015, she is listed as the second most powerful woman in Africa after Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the 87th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.
She has been married to Modupe Alakija since November 1976 and the union is blessed with four sons.
