UNIBEN GETS NEW VC

A Professor of Home Economics/Nutritional Education, Mrs. Lilian Salami, has emerged as the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, UNIBEN. 

Professor Salami, who becomes the second woman to become the university’s Vice Chancellor after Professor Grace Alele Williams, who was Nigeria’s first female Vice Chancellor, in 1985, takes over from Professor Faraday Orumwense.

Born in Jos, Plateau State, on  August 8, 1956, the new Vice Chancellor hails from Edo state.

Her early education started in Jos but was truncated by the Nigerian Civil War, which saw her completing her primary and secondary education in Edo State where she obtained her West African School Certificate (O’ levels) from Baptist High School, Benin City.

In 1975 she was admitted to the  University of Wisconsin, United States of America and had her summer schooling in the University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

Professor Salami later transferred to North Dakota State University, Fargo after she got married in 1977, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics in 1979 and Master’s degree in Nutrition in 1982.

She returned to Nigeria in 1983 and did her National Youth Service in Benin City after which she started her teaching career with the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University.

Between 1985 and 1994 Professor Salami lectured Nutrition at the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, from where she gained admission to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka for a doctoral degree in Human Nutrition in 1989 which she obtained in 1991.

In 1994, she was appointed Senior Lecturer with the University of Benin, Benin City, acted as Head of Department between 1996 and 1998 and rose to the rank of Professor in 2005.

 
Determined to make a career in teaching, the new VC obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Benin n 2001.

In 2004, Professor Salami proceeded to the Vaal University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa as a post-doctoral fellow which she obtained in 2005.

 
She has held numerous positions in the University of Benin, including Director of General Studies, Part-time programme and Chairman of the Board of University of Benin Integrated Enterprise.

 
Professor Salami is the immediate past Dean of the Faculty of Education and was a member of the Governing Council of the University.

She has to her credit over 75 peer reviewed articles in national and international Journals.

 
Outside academics, the new Vice Chancellor is a member of the Advisory Council to the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Ukukpolokpolo, Ogidigan, Oba Ewuare II.