By Isa Isawade

Osun State University (UNIOSUN) has officially installed BOVAS’ founder, Mrs. Victoria Adunola Samson, as the new Chancellor of the institution in a grand investiture ceremony on Monday 6 July at the Olagunsoye Oyinlola Auditorium, the Osogbo main campus of the school.

Mrs Adunola Samson popularly called Mama BOVAS had earlier this year been chosen by the state governor, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, who is the Visitor to the university, to succeed Chief Mrs Folorunso Alakija whose eventful ten-year term as Chancellor expired in March 2026.

Adunola submitted her acceptance letter to the government and the institution in May 2026, thanking the governor for finding her worthy of the appointment and promising to live up to expectation.

The governor during his address at the investiture on Monday said: “A moment ago, in accordance with the provisions of the Osun State University Establishment Law 2006, I had the singular honour, as the Governor of Osun State and Visitor to this great institution, of formally investing Mrs. Victoria Adunola Samson as the Third Chancellor of Osun State University. It is, indeed, a moment of great pride of our university, our state and the entire academic community.

“On behalf of the Government and the good people of Osun State, I warmly congratulate our newly installed Chancellor, MAMA BOVAS. We are delighted to welcome you into the distinguished family of Osun State University, and we are confident that your tenure will usher in another era of excellence, innovation and institutional advancement.

“Today’s ceremony is far more than the installation of a chancellor. It is a celebration of continuity, visionary leadership and our collective resolve to strengthen one of the fastest-growing universities in Nigeria. It is also a reaffirmation of our unwavering belief that education remains the most enduring investment any government can make in the future of its people.”

Governor Adeleke seized the moment to also honour Mrs Samson’s predecessor and richest woman in Africa, Chief Mrs Folorunso Alakija, whose tenure as Osun State University Chancellor was marked by a meteoric growth in stature and status of the institution.

The governor said it was fitting to pause to “honour an exceptional woman whose tenure as chancellor has left an enduring imprint on the university. Our immediate past Chancellor, Apostle Folorunso Alakija, served this institution with uncommon grace, generosity and commitment. Through her exemplary leadership and philanthropy, she elevated the profile of Osun State University and made contributions that will remain visible for generations to come. The establishment of the Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital fully funded by the Alakija Family is a monumental legacy that has transformed the university’s medical education, research capacity and healthcare delivery. Beyond infrastructure, she inspired hope, promoted excellence and demonstrated that true leadership is measured by the lives one touches and the legacy one leaves behind.

“On behalf of the Government and the people of Osun State, I express our profound appreciation to Mama Alakija for her selfless service, steadfast support and unwavering commitment to the advancement of education and humanity. Though her tenure has come to a successful conclusion, her remarkable legacy shall remain an integral part of the history of this university,” Adeleke praised Alakija.

The governor further said leadership is a relay whereby the baton is passed to the next generation.

“Every generation is called upon to build on the achievements of those who came before it. Today, the baton has been passed to another accomplished and highly respected Nigerian. Following the successful completion of the tenure of our immediate past Chancellor, I was faced with the important responsibility of appointing a worthy successor, someone of impeccable character, proven competence, outstanding leadership ability and an unwavering commitment to national development. After careful consideration, one name stood out: Mrs. Victoria Adunola Samson,” the governor said.

The governor also announced the commissioning of landmark projects same day, adding that since his assumption of office, he has always been coming to commission one project or the other at the university. This, according to him, shows the determination of his administration to reposition education as the cornerstone of sustainable development in the state.

“Today again, we have not come here for this investiture ceremony alone, we have come to commission another set of landmark and iconic projects: Sports Complex, Laboratory Complex, 750-capacity Lecture Theater and 500-capacity Lecture Hall. We are constructing the internal roads in this campus and Ikire Campus presently and we are building other academic infrastructure in other campuses of this University. We are serious with the business of developing this university to global standad,” he declared.

The Osun State University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye, who opened the event with his address, welcomed the new Chancellor, her predecessor, Visitor to the institution and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, the Deputy Governor, Pro-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and other dignitaries.

Adebooye expressed profound appreciation to Governor Adeleke for his commitment to the progressive advancement of the university. He commended the governor for appointing a worthy successor to the former Chancellor Folorunso Alakija in person of Mrs. Victoria Adunola Samson.

He congratulated Mrs. Samson on the honour conferred on her and said it was an honour well-deserved.

Adebooye defined and emphasised the importance of the position of Chancellor of a university, saying:

“The position of Chancellor of a university is the highest-ranking official and formal head of a university. He/she serves as the chief ceremonial head and ambassador of the university to the wider community. This position is vital because the Chancellor embodies the University’s prestige, champions the university’s mission, and leverages their high profile to secure philanthropic funding and strategic partnerships for the university. There is no doubt that this great role and status is not for mean men and women. Worldwide, it is for great men and women with track record of leadership and service, great people who have achieved immense prestige in such fields as academia, business, politics or governance. And, because the role relies heavily on ambassadorship, the individuals must possess an impeccable public reputation and strong ethical standard to safeguard the institution’s integrity and brand. A University Chancellor must have the strategic influence and networks that are necessary to champion the university’s mission, drive philanthropic giving, and foster vital connections with government and industry leaders.”

He posited that Mrs. Adunola Samson fits the definition perfectly, adding that her “extraordinary, pioneering track record as the founder and Managing Director of BOVAS Oil and Gas. Mama’s impeccable public reputation for honesty and consumer-centric patriotism, which represents a national symbol of decency, will safeguard our university’s moral brand and integrity. As an illustrious indigene of Iree in Osun State, Mama brings an authentic regional commitment to the institution alongside world-class professional training from elite institutions like Harvard Business School. Furthermore, her vast economic influence and leadership footprint within powerful industry boards like DAPPMA and IPMAN present UNIOSUN invaluable benefits for strategic networks and institutional advancement.

“With this new role and status, Mama has joined the club of such great Nigerians as the Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II, who impactfully served as UNIOSUN’s pioneer Chancellor between 2007 and 2014, and our beautiful and elegant Mama Apostle Folorunso Alakija who meritoriously served as the university’s second Chancellor for a two-term spanning 2016 to 2026.

“UNIOSUN has grown in leaps and bounds from a total student population of 649 in 2007 now to 42,000; and from a paltry 19 academic programmes at inception to 108 today, with a full-fledged Medical School and a one-in-Africa Modupe and Foloruno Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital (MOFAMRTH) donated to us by the great family of Mr. Modupe and Folorunso Alakija. We are happy that Mama Folorunso Alkija is with us online watching this ceremony life.”

The woman at the centre of the ceremony, Mrs. Victorial Adunola Samson who graced the occasion with her husband thanked the Almighty God for His mercies and blessings, and for making the day a reality. She also thanked everyone at the event for coming to honour her and the institution, declaring that “I am the happiest today.”

She described her feeling when she got information about her nomination for the post as shocking.

“When I got the call from His Excellency on my nomination for the prestigious appointment, I was shocked because it came to me as a surprise. The position of University Chancellor is not an ordinary position. It is a great one with onerous responsibilities attached to it. But it is also a position to deploy one’s God-given goodwill and resources to make impact. I felt reluctant to accept the nomination initially. But on a second thought, I realised that it is a clarion call to serve God through the people, and especially the good people of my home state. I also realised it was a great honour and privilege, and a good opportunity to join the great work being done by Osun State to continuously grow the next level of leadership in all sectors of Nigeria in particular, and for the entire world in general. It was on the basis of this that I gladly accepted the appointment and the associated responsibilities,” the new Chancellor said.

She paid tributes to her predecessors in office, the pioneer Chancellor, late Oba Okunade Sijuade and the second Chancellor Mrs. Alakija. She pledged to demonstrate commitment to her responsibilities and live up to the billing.

“I have had a lot of discussions and consultations with our Vice-Chancellor to know how best to key into aspirations of the founding fathers of this University. I have also carefully listened to the addresses of both the Chairman of Council and that of the Vice-Chancellor. I must confirm to you all that I have no regrets joining UNIOSUN at this level, and now,” Mrs. Samson said.

She urged all stakeholders to cooperate and collaborate with her on the mission to build on the solid foundation laid by her predecessors and take the university to greater heights.

Then, she dropped her tall vision for the institution, saying: “We must also collaborate to effectively improve the webometric ranking of this University. We must ensure all hands are on deck to bring UNIOSUN to the class of top 10 in Nigeria in the next five years. I strongly believe this is achievable, God blessing us.”

The new Osun State University (UNIOSUN) Chancellor, Mrs. Victoria Adunola Samson is the founder and Group Managing Director of BOVAS Oil & Gas. Mrs Samson, a native of Iree in Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State, was born on December 5, 1949. She has built BOVAS Oil and Gas Company into one of Nigeria’s leading indigenous petroleum marketing firms.
Under her leadership and that of her husband, the company expanded from a single filling station to more than 200 petroleum service stations across the country, providing employment for over 2,000 Nigerians as of December 31, 2025.
Mrs Samson also holds the Texaco Petroleum franchise and made history as the first Nigerian to win the highly competitive Texaco Latin America and West Africa Award for Best Overall Dealer in 1990, having recorded the highest sales volume across both regions.
She is one of the most respected business leaders in Nigeria. She is an accomplished industrialist and foremost female entrepreneur in the downstream Oil and Gas Sector. Widely regarded as Mama BOVAS, Mrs. Samson is bringing over four decades of transformative leadership experience to her new assignment.
Mrs Samson holds a Professional Diploma in Marketing and attended the Harvard University Business School Leadership Programme for Family Businesses in 2013. She also participated in the Chief Executive Programme at IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain.
She has consistently demonstrated exceptional capacity and corporate strategy, business expansion, infrastructure development and people-centred leadership. She has positioned her company as a major player in the energy sector. Adunola’s reputation remains tall and unblemished.

Dignitaries at the august event included the state governor, his wife Titilola Adeleke and his deputy; Speaker of the State House of Assembly and his deputy; Senators from Osun; the institution’s Pro-Chancellor; founder of UNIOSUN and former governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; royal fathers including First Class obas in Osun, Oyo and Ekiti; representative of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; accomplished academics, and captains of industries.