Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has appointed Victoria Adunola Samson, founder and group managing director of BOVAS Group, as chancellor of Osun State University, Osogbo. The appointment follows the conclusion of Apostle Folorunso Alakija's 10-year tenure on March 18, 2026. A statement issued Sunday by state government spokesperson Olawale Rasheed confirmed the transition. Adeleke visited Alakija on Friday, May 8, 2026, to express gratitude for her contributions, including the donation of the multi-billion-naira Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital to the university. The statement quoted the governor as saying the Alakija family had provided excellent support to both the institution and the state.
Adeleke described Samson as a symbol of decency, honesty, integrity and humanity in society. He acknowledged her efforts to make petroleum products more accessible to consumers. Samson, born December 5, 1949, is an indigene of Iree in Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State. She holds the Texaco Petroleum franchise and was the first Nigerian to win the Texaco Latin America and West Africa (LAWA) award for best overall dealer in 1990. She previously served as matron of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) across multiple depots. Samson has a professional diploma in marketing and completed Harvard University Business School's Leadership for Family in Business program in 2013. She will serve as the third chancellor of Osun State University.
Adeleke appoints a fuel marketer as university chancellor while praising her for making petroleum products more accessible, yet the link between fuel distribution and academic leadership remains unexplained. Samson's background is in business, not education or public administration, and the appointment offers no clarity on how this aligns with university governance. Her recognition for consumer-friendly fuel practices does not establish academic stewardship. The choice raises questions about the criteria for selecting chancellors in Osun's tertiary institutions.
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