Professor Ayodele, a Professor of Educational Management was born in Ikere Ekiti on 13th February, 1963. He attended St. John’s Primary School, Ikere-Ekiti between 1968 and 1973. He attended Annunciation School, Ikere-Ekiti between 1974 and 1979 and later proceeded to the then Ondo State College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti where heobtained the Nigeria Certificate in Education in 1985. He obtained the Bachelor of Education degree in Education and Economics from Ondo State University (now Ekiti State University), Ado-Ekiti in 1992 with First Class Honours. Hewas the best student in the department and the faculty as well as the overall best graduating student of the set. Hewas the first student to bag First Class in the Faculty of Education in the university. Thereafter, he obtained the degrees of M.Ed and Ph.D in Educational Management from the University of Ibadan in 1997 and 2000, respectively.
Professor Ayodele started his university teaching career as a Graduate Assistant in 1995 at the Ondo State University(now Ekiti State University), Ado-Ekiti and rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Educational Management on 1st October, 2012. His areas of specialization are Economics of Education, Educational Planning and Policy, and Human Resource Development.
The new Vice Chancellor had served either as a member or chairman of several Committees or Boards in the universityincluding the Board of the College of Postgraduate Studies between 2020 and 2022. He had also successfully held notable administrative and leadership positions in the University, such as Assistant Director, Affiliate Programmes(2006 – 2008); Head of Department, Educational Foundations and Management (2010 – 2012); Director, Directorate of Distance Learning (2014 – 2018); Director, Directorate of Continuing Education Programmes/ Distance Learning (2020-2022); Director, General Studies (August -December, 2022), Representative of Senate on the Governing Council (since June 2021). member of notable Council Committees (A&PC, CAC, F & GPC, Tenders Board, PPP, PCC, SSDC (NT) etc.), Dean, Faculty of Education (2018 – 2020), and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) until the new appointment
Professor Ayodele had attended and presented quality papers on contemporary national and global issues in educational management at reputable national and international conferences across Africa, South East Asia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Canada, and the United States of America. He also presented Lead Papers and Keynote Addresses at notable conferences. He has to his credit one hundred and thirteen (113) publications out of which seventy-six (76) appeared in peer-reviewed journals, while forty (40) were published after he became a Professor. He has successfully supervised sixteen (16) Ph.D students,fifty (50) M.Ed, over fifty (50) PGDE and over one hundred(100) undergraduate students. He served at various times as an external examiner for postgraduate programmes in reputable universities within and outside Nigeria such as Adekunle Ajasin University (AAU), Akungba-Akoko; OlabisiOnabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Obafemi AwolowoUniversity (OAU), Ile-Ife; University of Ibadan, Ibadan; University of Ilorin, Ilorin; University of Free State (UFS),and University of Zululand, Republic of South Africa, etc. Hehas assessed over twenty (20) academic staff for professorship across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
Professor Ayodele is a member of professional associations such as the Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration and Management (CCEAM), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Nigerian Association of Educational Administration and Planning (NAEAP), Higher Education Research and Policy Network (HERPNET), Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and Global Education Network (GEN). He is also a Fellow of the Reading Association of Nigeria (FRAN).
He won several academic distinctions, awards and recognitions which include:
i. University Prize for the student with the best overall result in the graduating class; Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti; 1992.
ii. Faculty of Education Prize for the best student in the final examination for the Degree of Bachelor of Education; Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti; 1992.
iii. Mrs. Florence Olufunmilayo Akinyede Prize for the best student in the B.Ed. (Hons) Arts Degree examination; Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti; 1992.
iv. Mr. J. W. Adeleye Prize for the overall best student in the graduating class; Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti; 1992.
v. Award of Excellence in recognition of professional achievement by the African Church Cathedral of St. John, Afao, Ikere-Ekiti; 11th September, 2016.
vi. Award of Honour in recognition of outstanding performance as a distinguished scholar and educationist and contributions to the growth of the educational sector in Nigeria, by The School of Arts and Social Sciences, College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti; 10th June, 2019.
vii. Certificate of Appreciation; by “Professors WithoutBorders” (PROWIBO); 28th July, 2023.
viii. NYCN Certificate of Credence; by the National Council of Nigeria Youth (NYCN), Ekiti State Chapter; 12th August, 2023.
ix. Meritorious Award; by the National Association of Women Academics (NAWACS) EKSU Chapter; 25th March, 2024.
He is happily married to Mrs. Ayodele, Odunayo Busola, and the union is blessed with wonderful biological and spiritual children.
