Governor Ademola Adeleke has approved the appointment of Victoria Samson as the new chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN).
Mrs Samson succeeds Folorunso Alakija, whose tenure ended on March 18, 2026, after serving as chancellor for 10 years.
The Osun State Government visited Mrs Alakija on Friday to appreciate her contributions to the university and the state.
A statement by the Governor Adeleke’s spokesman Olawale Rasheed said the governor commended Alakija’s impact on the institution, particularly the donation of the Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital to the university.
Samson, popularly known as Mama BOVAS, is the founder of BOVAS Oil and Gas.
She is from Iree in Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State and was born on December 5, 1949.
According to the statement, the company expanded from one filling station to more than 200 stations with over 2,000 employees as of December 31, 2025.
The statement also noted that 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.
She has served 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, Oyo State.
Samson is also a member of the board of trustees of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketing Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN).
She studied marketing and attended leadership programmes at Harvard University Business School and IESE in Barcelona, Spain.
Adeleke said the businesswoman had distinguished herself in the management of her company.
“We recognize with appreciation your distinct effort to make life easy for the consumers of petroleum products. We celebrate you and use you to represent a symbol of decency, honesty, integrity and humanity in our society.
“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,” the statement said.
