Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, a professor of microbiology at the College of Medicine, emerges as the first female vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos on Friday (UNILAG).
She was chosen as the university’s favourite out of the seven applicants that were shortlisted for the institution’s top position, and is now the 13th substantive VC of the institution.
Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, whose five-year term ends in November, will be succeeded by Professor Ogunsola.
Ogunsola, a Nigerian professor of medical microbiology who was born in 1958, is an expert in disease control, especially HIV/AIDS.
Ogunsola, who is thought to be the first woman to hold the role, served as provost of the University of Lagos’ College of Medicine.
In addition, she served as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services) from 2017 to 2021. On August 24, 2020, she was chosen by the University of Lagos Senate to serve as the institution’s acting vice-chancellor.
Ogunsola’s father, Akin Mabogunje, was a professor at the University of Ibadan, where she was raised.
She used toys as patients when she was younger, imitating medical professionals as she treated them.
She studied at Lagos’ Queen’s College, She also earned her first degree from the University of Ife between 1974 and 1982, followed by a master’s from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, before continuing on to the University of Wales for her PhD between 1992 and 1997.
In 2020, when the University of Lagos was briefly in crisis as a result of the Vice Chancellor’s expulsion by the University Council, Ogunsola served as Acting Vice Chancellor of the institution.
She served as the provost of the University of Lagos’ College of Medicine prior to becoming the deputy vice-chancellor.
Her research has mostly focused on the control and treatment of viral infections, especially HIV.
She is the director of the University of Lagos’ AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN).
She has also served as the Infection Control Committee’s chairperson at the teaching hospital of Lagos University.
She also serves as the chairman of Nigeria’s National Association of Medical Colleges.
