President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Modupe Adeola Adelabu as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The appointment was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy).
The statement also detailed a series of other appointments across key agencies in the education sector, including changes and renewals in leadership positions aimed at strengthening governance within federal education institutions.
What they are saying
According to the statement, Adelabu will chair the governing board of NECO, bringing her experience as a retired professor of educational administration and former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State to the role.
She previously served as Chairman of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) between 2018 and 2021.
The statement also confirmed that the current NECO Registrar, Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, will remain in office, ensuring continuity in the council’s operations.
- “President Tinubu appointed Prof Modupe Adeola Adelabu as Chairman of the Governing Board of NECO, and retained the current registrar, Professor Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi.”
The combination of a new board chairman and a retained registrar is expected to support stability and ongoing reforms within the examination body.
More insights
Beyond NECO, the President approved other key appointments across the education sector.
- Babatunde Salako was appointed Chairman of the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE), while Idris M Bugaje was reappointed for a second and final five-year term as Executive Secretary.
- In the polytechnic system, Bongfa Binfa was named Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, N’yak-Shendam, Plateau State, for a single five-year term.
Meanwhile, Chinwe Veronica Anunobi had her tenure renewed as Director-General of the National Library of Nigeria for a final five-year term. The Presidency noted that continuity would support ongoing reforms and the completion of major institutional projects.
Brief Profile of Modupe Adelabu
Prof. Modupe Adeola Adelabu is a retired Professor of Educational Administration at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, with decades of experience spanning education policy, management, and institutional leadership.
- She rose through the academic ranks from Graduate Assistant to full Professor before retiring in 2020.
- Her public service career includes serving as Chairman of the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) between 2011 and 2014, a role that marked her transition into governance.
- She was also Deputy Governor of Ekiti State from 2013 to 2014 and later served as Chairman of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) from 2018 to 2021.
Adelabu has consulted for major education agencies, including the National Primary Education Commission and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), contributing to basic education reforms across states such as Lagos, Oyo, Osun, and Ondo.
