*******”UNESCO Laureate Congratulates Popoola’ As Pioneer VC, Adeyemi Federal University of Education
******As Africa Head, UNACCC Described Popoola’s Appointment As Divine & Timely
By Victor Bieni, Osogbo
The First African UNESCO Laureate & Africa Chairman of Board of Trustees of Unity of Nations Actions for Climate Change Council (UNACCC) an official partner of United Nations and other organizations world wide Prof Sir Bashiru Aremu, has congratulated Bayode Isaiah Popoola As he emerges as the Pioneer VC of Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo State as he described appointment as divine and timely.
Royal Paradise Media (News Online) learnt this from The VC, Crown University Int’l, USA in a release today being Tuesday, September 2, 2025 made available to some group of Journalists in Osogbo, Osun State capital by Aremu’s Media Assistant, Comrade Sir Bieni Victor Emenike as Prof Aremu prays for Professor Bayode Isaiah Popoola’s future success on his new appointment.
You could recall that the Governing Council of Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo State, Nigeria had recently approved, appointed Professor Bayode Isaiah Popoola as the first substantive Vice Chancellor of the institution.
UNESCO Laureate who commended the University’s Board of Governing Council for finding Prof Popoola worthy of the position then felicitated with Prof Popoola whom he described as World Educator, Educational Administrator and Manager seasoned Researcher and erudite Professor of Guidance and Counseling with decades of experience.
The statement by UNESCO Laureate reads in part: “I, UNESCO Laureate, Prof Sir Bashiru Aremu hereby uses this medium to congratulate my brother and friend, Prof Bayode Isaiah Popoola on his emergence as the pioneer VC of Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo State, Nigeria. No doubt, this appointment is divine and timely. I, UNESCO Laureate also commend the Board of Governing Council of this great institution for the choice of Prof Bayode Isaiah Popoola”.
“Popoola is a Professor of Education (Guidance and Counselling) from the Department of Educational Foundations and Counselling, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State. Professor Popoola, born 62 years ago, hails from Ikere Ekiti in Ekiti State and holds a Bachelor of Education Degree in English/Education from Ondo State University Ado-Ekiti now Ekiti State University in 1987; M.A. Education (Guidance and Counseling) and PhD (Guidance and Counselling) degrees of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 1995 and 2003 respectively”.
“Popoola is a seasoned academic, served the Obafemi Awolowo University as Head, Department of Educational Foundations and Counselling, Deputy Provost of the Postgraduate College, and Dean of the Faculty of Education, among other academic and administrative leadership positions.
Besides serving in various capacities within the four walls of the universities, he also served some government and non-governmental agencies, such as the National Examination Council as a member of the School Accreditation Team from 2007 to 2009″.
“He was a research consultant to UNICEF, the International Organisation for Migration, the Federal Ministry of Education School Unit, and a member, Governing Council of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria. He is an External Examiner and Assessor to many universities in Nigeria and overseas.
Professor Popoola has published over 67 works in reputable local and international journals; attended 16 international conferences, 34 local conferences, seminars, and workshops, and supervised over 27 postgraduate thesis”.
“The new Vice Chancellor is a member of various professional bodies such as the Counselling Association of Nigeria, Association of Professional Counsellors in Nigeria, Association of Educational Researchers and Evaluators of Nigeria, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists in Africa, and the American Psychological Association.
Professor Popoola is married to Dr. (Mrs.) Temilola Popoola, and the marriage is blessed with four children”.
Prof Sir Bashiru Aremu is a trailblazing Nigerian academic born in Iwo, Osun State. He is the first African UNESCO Laureate, recognized for contributions to global education. Aremu serves as Vice-Chancellor of Crown University International Chartered Inc. and holds leadership positions in international institutions, specializing in biometric technology and computer science.