President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Associate Professor Smart Olugbeko as the substantive Provost of the Federal College of Education, Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The appointment was ratified by the Governing Council of the institution during its 8th Regular Meeting held on June 10, 2026, and was subsequently announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council, Dr Khadijah Garba.
According to the statement, Olugbeko’s appointment is for a single tenure of five years and takes effect from the date he formally assumes office.
Garba described the new provost as an accomplished academic and administrator with more than 20 years of experience in teaching, research, educational leadership and institutional development.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education, Ilawe-Ekiti, approved the appointment of Dr Smart Olugbeko as the substantive Provost of the College,” the statement said.
“Dr Olugbeko’s appointment is for a single term of five years and takes effect from the date of his assumption of duty.”
The Governing Council expressed confidence in Olugbeko’s capacity to provide purposeful leadership and further strengthen the college’s reputation as a leading institution for teacher education in Nigeria.
Prior to his appointment, Olugbeko served as a Chief Lecturer on secondment at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Ekiadolor, Edo State. He also held academic appointments on sabbatical and secondment at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos.
His academic career began at Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, now Adeyemi Federal University of Education, where he steadily rose through the ranks from Lecturer III to become Chief Lecturer and later Associate Professor.
The statement highlighted his extensive scholarly contributions, particularly in the fields of bilingualism, language policy and conflict resolution.
Garba noted that Olugbeko is a prolific scholar who has authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, textbooks and other academic publications that have contributed significantly to educational research and policy discourse.
Beyond academia, the new provost has received more than 40 professional awards and honours from academic institutions, student bodies and community organisations in recognition of his contributions to education and national development.
The Governing Council also acknowledged his leadership within the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), where he served as both President and Zonal Coordinator. In those capacities, he played a prominent role in negotiations with government authorities and contributed to major policy reforms in the colleges of education sector, including the implementation of the dual mandate curriculum.
According to the statement, Olugbeko was instrumental in securing funding interventions through engagements with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and facilitated grants from international and national organisations, including UNESCO and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
The council further noted that he is widely regarded as a resource person for regulatory agencies such as the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and the National Universities Commission (NUC), where he has contributed to academic quality assurance and policy development.
Congratulating Olugbeko on his appointment, the Governing Council pledged its full support to enable him to advance the institution’s mandate, strengthen academic standards and drive the continued growth and development of the Federal College of Education, Ilawe-Ekiti.
