The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has said that the University is prepared to return to the era of its characteristic stable academic calendar with the attendant high quality service delivery, as he hinted that the next academic session of the University would commence in August.
Prof. Egbewole gave this assurance recently while addressing newsmen in the University Auditorium during his maiden media parley to mark his first 100 days in office.
The Vice Chancellor said that his administration was not unmindful of the expectations of stakeholders as regards the need to ensure that the University returns to the path of sustainable stable academic calendar, which placed it on top in the nation’suniversity system.
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Prof. Egbewole said that the University has been growing in leaps and bounds since his assumption of office on October 16, 2022 as the 11th Chief Executive of the University. He expressed profound satisfaction that despite the challenges of the moment, the University has been gaining tremendous positive momentum considering the several accolades that have come its way and those of some members of the university community whose academic and research breakthroughs have been recognised and honoured.
He explained that determination is to leave the University better than he met it in every ramification particularly in the complete digitisation of its operations as he said that the target of his administration is to ensure that the University produces highly sophisticated and smart graduates who would be able to dominate their environments. Prof. Egbewole added that he would not relent until the University becomes the first in Nigeria, among the first 10 in Africa and one of the leading 500 universities across the globe.
The learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria explained that the University has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tunil University, Italy; the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, United Kingdom and the Summit University, Offa.
In addition, Prof. Egbewole stated that the University has commenced full reengagement with the Association of Commonwealth Universities as well as active participation in the activities of the WARIMA and the Association of West African Universities (AWAU) of which he was recently elected Secretary General.
He also announced the formation of the KU8, which he described as an association of eight of the nine universities operating within Kwara State with him as the pioneer Chairman as he explained that the KU8 came into existence in order to deepen fraternity and cooperation among the institutions to proffer solutions to their common challenges and collectively address the challenges of the State.
The Vice Chancellor also told the gathering that his administration has been attracting and harnessing mouthwatering supports from various sources, saying that since his assumption of duties, the University has received a support totalling N1.1 Billion from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Federal Ministry of Communication for various projects that would enhance the service delivery capacities of the nation’s most sought-after University.
Prof. Egbewole said that the N500, 000, 000 received from TETFund is to be used for the construction of students’ hostel accommodation while another N200, 000,000 received from the same agency would be channeled to the execution of a zona intervention project. He added that N400, 000,000 accessed from the Federal Ministry of Communication is for the development of broadband network at the University as he explained that the remaining N75, 000,000 from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board would be expended in the tarring of the road at the GRA Quarters of theUniversity.
The Vice Chancellor, who thanked members of the press for their support to the University, particularly since his assumption of office, also announced that the Nigerian Automotive Design and Development Council had concluded arrangements towards establishing a battery charging station at the University.
Responding to a question, Prof. Egbewole said that his administration has been maintaining constant and continuous engagement with staff and students of the University with a view to maintaining the prevalent peace and tranquility of the campus.
He also stated that the University would do everything humanly possible to ensure that all its revenue yielding agencies are repositioned in order to ensure that the University’s internal revenue increased so as to be able to support the University’sdevelopmental agenda.
The Vice Chancellor assured the stakeholders that his administration would ensure the success of its poultry farm at Amoyo as he said that the University hasnot defaulted in the regimented payment of the CBN loan with which the farm was established.
Prof. Egbewole said that in order to address the challenges associated with transportation to and from the institution’s campus the University was exploring the possibilities of working with foreign nations such as China to build a rail line that would link the campus with the town on rail.
On the poor rating of African universities in the global pedestal, the Vice Chancellor said that until African universities come up with modalities of evaluation peculiar to African context, the nation’s university system would remain as it is.
The Vice Chancellor thanked the staff and students of the University for thei support, as he assured them that they would continue to be motivated to ensure quality productivity.
The media parley was attended by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services), Prof. Suleiman Funsho Ambali; the Registrar, Dr Folaranmi M. Olowoleni; the University Librarian, Dr Kamaldeen Tunde Omopupa; the Chairman, Editorial Board, UNILORIN BULLETIN, Prof. Lukman Adeshina Azeez; and the Director, Corporate Affairs, University of Ilorin, Mr Kunle Akogun.
