2013 Unilorin plans uninterrupted power supply on campus

The Vice-Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has  disclosed the institution's plans to ensure uninterrupted power supply on campus.

Prof. Ambali, who made this revelation last Monday (July 29, 2013) while declaring open the 9th Mosobolaje Oyawoye Faculty of Science Endowed Lecture Series at the University Auditorium, said the plan was part of the strategy to prepare the University to key into the plans of the Federal Government to have at least six of the Nigerian Universities as African Centres of Excellence.

“One key milestone of this effort,” he said, “is to see stable and uninterrupted power supply in selected universities so that such centres can be home to modern laboratories and equipment that can be shared by other institutions within the geo-political zone.”

Prof. Ambali said that the University of Ilorin is set to secure the slot for North Central geopolitical zone, adding that “our proposal is almost ready. We are using this opportunity to call on the endower, Aremo Professor Mosobalaje Oyawoye and other friends of the University here present, to add their weight and voice to this quest”.

Earlier in his address, entitled “Quid Pro Quo”, Prof. Ambali called for greater funding of the University by the Federal Government, citing the judicious manner the University has so far expended the funds made available to it,

He said, “The point I am making is that this University makes a good use of the facilities and opportunities provided for it. Even the gains of the lectures we regularly hold, as illustrated with this Oyawoye-endowed lecture series, are converted to development as we do not just talk the talk, we walk it. I therefore urge the Honorable Minister, while appreciating her love for this University, part of which made her to accept being our lecturer today, to continue to support the University with moral and financial support because it is our culture to make a judicious use of such opportunities.”

The Vice-Chancellor submitted that if the Government supports the University more through funding, the University would continue to fly the flag of Nigeria higher in the world as a key player in the global education sector.

He added that if the World Bank also continues to support the University in its research and development projects as it is currently doing, “the University, quid pro quo, will also be enhancing the capacity of the Bank though providing it with top technocrats and resourceful experts like Dr Tunde Adekola, a First Class product of this University and Senior Education Specialist in the Africa Regional Department of World Bank, Nigeria Country Office.”

Prof. Ambali noted that the impact of the World Bank is felt strongly in the University of Ilorin through its Science and Technology Education Post-Basic (STEP-B) projects and the Innovators of Tomorrow (IOT) intervention as well as the multi-million naira fibre-optic infrastructure installation and deployment, among others. He therefore called on the government to do more for the University.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (RTI), who is also the Chairman of the Unilorin STEP-B Committee, Prof. Felix Oladele, while supporting the submission of the Vice-Chancellor revealed that part of the benefits of the STEB-B project is a well-equipped laboratory for Organic Chemistry.

In his welcome address, the Dean Faculty of Science, Prof. B. L. Adeleke, also lent his voice to the call for greater funding for the University of Ilorin. He said, “We wish to implore the Honourable Minister to continue to give more support to our University in order to make our quest to migrate from being among five leading Universities in the country to the level of being among the five hundred Universities in the world a reality.”

Prof. Adeleke noted that of the four projects sponsored by the STEP-B in the last five years in the University of Ilorin, the Faculty of Science secured one through the effort of a team of lecturers in Chemistry Department. He said of the Endower that he has been a consistent admirer of the giant strides the Faculty of Science is making in teaching, research efforts and community service.