Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has approved the appointment of Victoria Adunola Samson as the new Chancellor of Osun State University.
Mrs Samson, popularly known as “Mama BOVAS,” succeeds Folorunso Alakija whose tenure ended on March 18, 2026, after serving the institution for 10 years.
The Osun State Government, on Friday, paid a celebratory visit to Alakija in appreciation of her contributions to the university and the state. Governor Adeleke described her impact as a lasting legacy, particularly her donation of the multi-billion naira Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital to the university.
The newly appointed Chancellor is the founder of BOVAS Oil and Gas and an indigene of Iree in Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State. Born on December 5, 1949, she has built the company into one of Nigeria’s notable indigenous petroleum marketing firms.
According to the state government, BOVAS Oil and Gas expanded from a single filling station to more than 200 outlets nationwide, employing over 2,000 Nigerians as of December 31, 2025.
Read Also:
Mrs Samson also owns the Texaco Petroleum franchise and became the first Nigerian to win the prestigious Texaco Latin America and West Africa (LAWA) Award for Best Overall Dealer in 1990, after recording the highest sales across both regions.
She has held several leadership positions in the oil and gas sector, including serving as Matron of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) at the NNPC/PPMC Satellite Depot in Ejigbo, Lagos, and Apata Depot in Ibadan. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketing Association (DAPPMA).
Mrs Samson holds a Professional Diploma in Marketing and attended the Leadership for Family Business programme at Harvard Business School in 2013. She also participated in the Chief Executive Programme at IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.
Governor Adeleke commended her integrity, accountability and patriotism, describing her as a symbol of honesty, decency and humanity in business.
The governor congratulated Mrs Samson on behalf of the people and government of Osun State on her appointment as the third Chancellor of Osun State University, Osogbo.
The statement was signed by the spokesperson to the Osun State Government, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.
