Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello has been named the ninth substantive Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU).
The Professor of Physiology had served as Acting Vice Chancellor of the institution before her elevation.
Her appointment was announced on Thursday morning.
Olatunji-Bello was born in Lagos on the 23rd of April 1964 to (Mrs.) Jadesola Ibidapo nee Abraham of Ita Kose , Lagos Island and Mr Emiola Ibidapo-Okunrinboye of Owo, Ondo State.
She attended Anglican Girls Primary School, Surulere, from 1970 to 1974 and then Lagos Anglican Girls Grammar School, Surulere, between 1974 and 1979.
She proceeded to Methodist Girls High School, Yaba, and Lagos State College of Science and Technology, Ikosi Campus where she did her “A” levels in 1982.
Prof Olatunji-Bello thereafter attended the prestigious University of Ibadan where she bagged a BSc (Hons) Physiology in 1985.
After her NYSC at the University of Lagos, she was awarded MSc Physiology in 1987 at the University of Lagos.
She attended 6-month research training in the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in the US in 1994. After which she bagged a Ph.D in Physiology of the University of Lagos in 1998.
She obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Theology from the Bible College of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in 2001 and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education PGDE of the Lagos State University in 2018.
In 2012, Professor Olatunji-Bello attended the Course 34 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru, the highest policy advisory body of the Federal Government, as a nominee of the National Universities Commission NUC where she was awarded the certificate as a Member of the National Institute (mni).
She was awarded a fellowship of the Physiological Society UK in the year 2017 which was shortly followed by the Fellowship award of the Physiological Society of Nigeria.
She was appointed a Fellow of the society for Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Mitigation in the year 2019.
An astute academic, Professor Olatunji-Bello rose through the ranks from Assistant Lecturer (1988-1991), Lecturer II between 1991 and 1996, Lecturer I from 1996 to 1999, Senior Lecturer (1999 – 2005), Associate Professor between 2005 and October 1, 2007, all in the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Idi Araba.
She assumed duty as the First Professor of Physiology in Lagos State University College of Medicine on the 2nd of October, 2007
Olatunji-Bello has held several professional and administrative positions both at UNILAG and LASU.
Until her election as the First female Deputy Vice Chancellor of LASU, she was the First substantive Head of the Department of Physiology, LASUCOM. Other University managerial positions held by Professor Olatunji-Bello include:
Acting Vice Chancellor (July –December 21, 2010, January 30 – October 31st, 2011).
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Dec 2008 to December 2010)
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), LASU (November 2011- January 2013
Head, Department of Physiology, LASUCOM (October 2007 to December 2008)
She is the pioneering Director of LASU Directorate of Advancement which was established by the Vice Chancellor Prof Lanre Fagbohun in 2016.
She is a member of many professional bodies and she was the first female Second Vice President, Physiological Society of Nigeria, and the First Vice President, also first female to hold that position up to year 2019..
Prof Olatunji-Bello was Government representative on the Lagos State University (LASU) Governing Council, 2004 to October 2008 and currently a Senate Representative on the Governing Council of Lagos State University.
Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello has graduated 4Ph.Ds and 37 MSc candidates while still supervising more PhD students.
The distinguished scientist is known for her very brilliant academic work and she has over 53 publications to her credit; excluding papers she has read at both local and international conferences.
She has served as Chairman Organizing Committee of an International Conference of the International Union of Physiological Sciences and Association of African Physiological Societies in 2016. She has also contributed chapters in some textbooks and e-learning materials.
She is happily married to Tunji Bello, a journalist and lawyer, and the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, and the former Secretary to Lagos State Government.
They are blessed with 3 children.
She is the Area Pastor in charge of the Testimony Chapel, an area under Lagos Province 1 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God(RCCG).
