The Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation rejoices with the University of Ibadan and the entire people of Oyo and Ogun State, Nigeria, on the historic appointment of Mrs Mariam Adetoun Zakariyah, FCA (née Adegbite), as the 10th Bursar of Nigeria’s premier university.
With this appointment on July 9, 2026, Mrs Zakariyah becomes the first woman to lead the Bursary Department in the 78-year history of the University of Ibadan. It is a milestone that speaks to the power of diligence, competence and the gradual but sure reward of service.
Mrs Zakariyah is a true daughter of UI. Born on October 19, 1975, and raised in Abadina, the University staff community, she is the child of the late Alhaji Adegbite, whose name adorns the major road opposite the University’s main gate. She joined the Bursary on August 29, 2000 as a young officer in Loans & Advances and over the last 24 years, she climbed every rung of the ladder on merit—from Senior Accountant to Finance Officer across Faculties and the Postgraduate School to Chief Accountant and most recently Deputy Bursar in charge of Treasury.
Her record in the years is one of quiet reform. She introduced a merit-based receipt system that cut paper use by 80 percent and closed loopholes in revenue collection. She cleared years of backlogged financial statements and treasury tax compliance. Through diligent monitoring on GIFMIS, she ensured that salaries reached staff within 48 hours of fund release. She also steered the University through the complex NELFUND refund process and played a key role in securing West Africa’s only JOEL JEM 1400 TEM microscope for UI. These are not titles. They are the daily, painstaking decisions that keep a great institution solvent and credible.
Barrister Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, APC Gubernatorial Candidate for Oyo State, 2027, and a worthy alumnus of the University of Ibadan, described the approach as a proud moment for Oyo State and Nigeria.
“I heartily congratulate Mrs Mariam Adetoun Zakariyah on this well-deserved elevation”, Barr. Alli said. “This is a victory for merit, for women, and for our State. Her journey from Abadina to the headship of the Bursary proves that hard work still counts in our public institutions. For 24 years, she has served UI with distinction and I am confident she will bring the same integrity, innovation and accountability to this new responsibility. As we work to build an Oyo State that rewards competence, this appointment gives us hope. May her tenure deepen transparency and inspire more of our young women to dream bigger”.
Barr. Alli noted that the significance of this appointment goes beyond the individual. It breaks a long-standing ceiling in university administration. It affirms that an indigene of Abeokuta South who was born and raised in Ibadan can rise to the top through service. And it sends a clear signal to young accountants, auditors and administrators across our universities: stay, build and excellence will find you.
As the Bursar, Mrs Zakariyah now assumes responsibility for the financial stewardship of an institution that manages billions in personnel, capital, IGR, grants and donor funds, and that interfaces daily with TSA, GIFMIS, CBN, and FIRS. The task is enormous, but her colleagues describe her as meticulous, innovative, and people-oriented, a builder of systems and a mentor to the next generation.
The Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation joins the University community, the government and good people of Oyo State in celebrating this achievement. We pray that her tenure will strengthen accountability, expand transparency and add another proud chapter to the story of the University of Ibadan.
“Congratulations, Mrs Mariam Adetoun Zakariyah. UI is proud of you! Oyo State is proud of you,! Nigeria is watching”, Senator Alli concluded.
Signed:
Barrister Sharafadeen Alli (BSA) Campaign Organisation, Oyo State. 08077284442
