FG Appoints Prof. Mathew Adamu as Acting Vice Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University

By Iyojo Ameh

The Federal Government has named Professor Mathew Adamu as the new Acting Vice Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, formerly known as the University of Abuja.

The appointment, announced in a statement by the Acting Registrar and Secretary to Council, Mrs. Roseline Adakayi, takes effect from Monday, August 11, 2025, and will run for three months. Professor Adamu succeeds Professor Patricia Manko Lar, who assumed office in February 2025 for a six-month interim tenure.

During her stewardship, Professor Lar was credited with providing “purposeful leadership,” ensuring both academic and administrative stability, and initiating the process for selecting a substantive Vice Chancellor. The Governing Council, led by Senator Dr. Olanrewaju Tejuoso, is now expected to conclude that process under Adamu’s watch.

The change in leadership comes as Yakubu Gowon University—renamed earlier this year in honour of Nigeria’s former Head of State—works to reposition itself as a hub for academic excellence in the nation’s capital.

Established in 1988 and originally conceived as the University of Abuja, the institution has faced challenges over the decades, including infrastructure deficits, academic staff strikes, and administrative shake-ups.

In recent years, however, it has expanded its faculties, improved research output, and deepened collaborations with local and international partners.

The university community, in its message of appreciation to Professor Lar, expressed gratitude for her service and expressed optimism that the momentum she started will be sustained.

Professor Mathew Adamu, a veterinary scholar with a DVM (1998) and MSc (2006) from the University of Maiduguri and a PhD in Veterinary Surgery from the University of Pretoria (2012), begins a three-month tenure as Acting Vice-Chancellor effective Monday, 11 August 2025, succeeding Professor Patricia Manko Lar.

He also holds a fellowship from the College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria and was promoted to full professor in 2019 with a specialization in Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology.

He brings over 27 years of experience spanning teaching, research, veterinary practice, and academic leadership roles in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

Professor Adamu, is expected to leverage his experience to maintain stability and steer the university through the final stages of its leadership transition.