UniAbuja gets new Acting Vice-Chancellor

The Federal Government has appointed Professor Mathew Adamu as the new Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, recently renamed Yakubu Gowon University.

A statement by the Acting Registrar and Secretary to Council, Roseline Adakayi, announced that Professor Adamu will serve for three months, effective Monday, 11 August 2025, succeeding Professor Patricia Manko Lar, who held the position in an acting capacity for six months from February 2025.

According to the statement, Professor Lar provided purposeful leadership, ensured academic and administrative stability, and initiated the process for appointing a substantive Vice-Chancellor. Professor Adamu is expected to work closely with the Governing Council, led by Senator Dr. Olanrewaju Tejuoso, to conclude this appointment process in line with statutory provisions and guidelines.

Adakayi expressed the University community’s appreciation for Professor Lar’s “dedicated service, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence,” and wished Professor Adamu a successful tenure during the transition period.

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Profile: Professor Mathew Adamu

Professor Mathew Adamu is a distinguished veterinary scholar with a career spanning over 27 years. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree in 1998 and Master of Science in 2006 from the University of Maiduguri, and later obtained a PhD in Veterinary Surgery from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, in 2012.

Specialising in Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology (Helminthology), he became a Fellow of the College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria and was promoted to full Professor in 2019.

His professional journey includes:

Youth Corps Veterinarian and Corps Liaison Officer in Dan Musa, Katsina State.

Private veterinary practice in Minna, Niger State.

Service at the Nigeria Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research, Kaduna.

Academic career at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (now Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University), where he rose to full Professor.

During his time at Makurdi, he held several leadership positions:

Head, Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology (2014–2018).

Deputy Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine (2014–2016).

Director, Veterinary Teaching Hospital (2018–2023).

Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine (March 2023–present).

Professor Adamu has supervised numerous postgraduate students and contributed to curriculum development for veterinary education in Nigeria. He has also served as an external examiner at the Universities of Abuja, Nigeria Nsukka, Ibadan, and the University of Limpopo, South Africa.

He has participated in accreditation exercises for the NUC and NBTE, and has over 50 scholarly publications, including a patented invention (Anthelmintic Medicament, South African Patent No. 2014/0547). His doctoral research earned him the Bronze Medal for Best Thesis from the South African Association of Botanists in 2015.

His academic collaborations span the United States, Spain, South Africa, Lesotho, The Gambia, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire.

Locally, he has received multiple commendations for his service and has twice acted as Vice-Chancellor at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University during transitional periods.