The Governing Council of Bowen University has approved the appointment of Mrs Folasade Adebukola Olapade as the institution’s fifth substantive Bursar.
The appointment was approved at the Council’s 122nd meeting held on Thursday, May 21, 2026, and takes effect from September 1, 2026.
Olapade, a financial management and audit professional, brings extensive experience in accounting, internal audit, financial controls, compliance and university financial administration to the new position.
Before her appointment as Bursar, she served as Deputy Director of Internal Audit, a position she assumed in March 2024. She had earlier served as Chief Internal Auditor in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Principal Internal Auditor and Senior Internal Auditor, rising through the ranks in the university’s Internal Audit Unit.
Her career at Bowen University began in 2010 during her National Youth Service, when she served as a corps member in the Internal Audit Unit. She was subsequently appointed Internal Auditor II in 2012.
Over the years, Olapade has gained experience in budget monitoring and expenditure control, treasury and payment processes, student revenue and account auditing, payroll and salary administration, revenue and cash management, bank reconciliation, inventory and asset monitoring, audit coordination, financial reporting and compliance.
She has also been involved in the oversight of projects and contracts and served on the Finance Committee, Management Committees and Management Tenders Board.
Olapade was also a member of the committee that developed Financial Guidelines for Bowen University and contributed to the audit and oversight of income-generating units.
Academically, she holds a National Diploma in Accountancy from the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, with First Class Honours, from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
She was a recipient of the Shell Nigeria University Scholarship Award during her undergraduate studies.
Olapade is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and has undertaken professional training in accounting, auditing, risk assurance, procurement, contract management, technology, project management and financial systems.
Her professional development has also taken her to international engagements. In April 2026, she was invited to the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, to engage with finance professionals and gain further insight into financial procedures and processes.
Earlier, in February 2025, she was invited to the Information and Communication Technology Section of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy.
Beyond her professional career, Olapade has been involved in mentorship, leadership and service activities.
She served as Treasurer of the Bowen University Staff Cooperative Investment and Credit Society, a member of the Management Board of Bowen University International School and a mentor during the Bowen Mentorship Bootcamp.
She has also served in various church, educational and community leadership capacities and received several recognitions and commendations for her contributions.
As the fifth substantive Bursar, Olapade is expected to bring her institutional knowledge and financial management experience to bear on the university’s financial governance, accountability, resource management and long-term financial sustainability.
The university community welcomed her appointment, expressing confidence that her professional competence, experience and commitment to stewardship would contribute to the continued growth and development of the institution.
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