1st June, 2011
As the University of Ilorin expands the frontiers of its mandate by introducing new programmes, a team of academics dispatched by the National Universities Commission (NUC), to verify teaching and research facilities and human resources on ground for smooth take-off of the programmes has paid a courtesy call on the management of the institution.
The team which included Prof. Idris Alao Lawal of the Faculty of Vertinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Prof. S.O. Bada of the Department of Forest Resources Management of the University of Ibadan and Mr. Audu Muhammed of the Department of Academic Standards, National Universities Commission and other members, paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, in his office on Thursday last week.
While welcoming the team, the vice-chancellor thanked members of the team for the sacrifice made by accepting NUC’s invitation to carry out an assignment which will go a long way not only in improving the standard of education, but also help in the improvement of the quality of the Nigerian life.
According to Oloyede, “we are expanding our university beyond serving the nation to serving humanity in general. The programmes are strategic to our plan to engage 150 hectares of our land each year.â€
He also disclosed that there is no state in Nigeria that lacks representation in the university, noting that this is one of the school’s numerous steps towards remaining an institution that is truly a university by being a global player where the best of ideas and knowledge are assembled and made available for the benefit of humanity.
The professor of Islamic Jurisprudence also said that the University of Ilorin is not oblivious of the fact that it is by being responsive to domestic needs that a university attains global prominence and revealed that the institution has in its pipeline plan to establish a Centre for Appropriate Technology as it has seen a need for specialties like plastic engineering available for the benefit of the industries in the community.
The vice-chancellor noted that the university is starting its new programmes not just to be lauded but for the purpose of benefitting the quality of life in Nigeria.
He commented further that the nursing programme of the University of Ilorin will be linked with social work as an example of the institution’s inspiration for introducing new programmes.
Among the members of the university management who joined the vice-chancellor to receive the NUC deligation was the Registrar, Mrs. Olufolake Oyeyemi who, in her remarks, said “we have a penchant for excellence in everything we do. We really mean business.â€
The NUC verification team will evaluate facilities at the Forest Resources Management being headed Prof. Raji, who was recruited from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Material Sciences and Engineering headed by Dr. A.G.F. Alabi; Department of Nursing under Dr. Tijani Abioye and Department of Veterinary Medicine under Prof. Ambali, who is the pioneer head of his faculty like others.