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Governor Adeleke Appoints BOVAS Founder as UNIOSUN Chancellor
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Governor Adeleke Appoints BOVAS Founder as UNIOSUN Chancellor
By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo
Governor Ademola Adeleke has approved the appointment of Mrs Victoria Adunola Samson, popularly known as BOVAS, as the new Chancellor of Osun State University.
The appointment was announced in a statement issued on Sunday by the spokesperson to the Osun State Government, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.
Mrs Samson succeeds Folorunso Alakija, whose tenure ended on March 18, 2026, after serving the institution for a decade.
The Osun State Government had on Friday visited the former Chancellor to appreciate her contributions to the university and the state during her 10-year tenure.
Governor Adeleke described Alakija’s impact on the institution as a lasting legacy, particularly her donation of the multi-billion naira Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital to the university.
Mrs Samson, an indigene of Iree in Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State, is the founder of BOVAS Oil and Gas Company. Born on December 5, 1949, she is regarded as one of the notable figures in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
According to the statement, BOVAS Oil and Gas grew under the leadership of Mrs Samson and her husband from a single filling station to more than 200 stations across the country, with over 2,000 Nigerians employed by the company as of December 31, 2025.
The statement added that Mrs Samson owns the Texaco Petroleum Franchise and became the first Nigerian to win the Texaco Latin America and West Africa Award for Best Overall Dealer in 1990 after recording the highest sales in both regions.
She has also held several leadership positions in the petroleum industry, including serving as Matron of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria at the NNPC/PPMC Satellite Depot in Ejigbo, Lagos State, and Apata Depot in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Mrs Samson is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketing Association.
She holds a Professional Diploma in Marketing and attended the Harvard University Business School Leadership for Family Business programme in 2013. She also participated in the Chief Executive Programme at IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.
Commending the new Chancellor, Governor Adeleke said Mrs Samson had distinguished herself through integrity, accountability and patriotism in business.
“We recognize with appreciation your distinct effort to make life easy for consumers of petroleum products. We celebrate you as a symbol of decency, honesty, integrity and humanity in our society,” the governor said.
He added, “The Governor of Osun State congratulates you on behalf of the people and government on your appointment as the third Chancellor of the Osun State University, Osogbo.”
