www.unilorin.edu.ng
vc@unilorin.edu.ng
TO GOD BE THE GLORY
Text of the Vice-Chancellor’s Press Briefing for the 27th Convocation Ceremonies of
the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, given by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Is-haq O.
Oloyede, at the University Auditorium on Monday, October 17, 2011.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY
Prolegomena
It pleases me beyond words to welcome you all, especially our distinguished members of the Fourth Estate of
the Realm, to this important occasion. Today’s programme, as you are all aware, heralds the 27th convocation
ceremonies of the University and I thank you all for being part of it. It is our belief that part of the success of
the University of Ilorin consists of the support it receives from all stakeholders including the press and it is on
this note that I register our appreciation to you for what you have done, what you are doing and what you will
still do for the University of Ilorin by supporting our modest efforts towards contributing our quota to the
development of the human capital resources of Nigeria and the world.
I give thanks to Allah, the Almighty, for preserving our lives because it seems like yesterday when we
converged on this Auditorium last year (October 18, 2010) for a programme like this during which I
addressed you on “The Journey So Far”. Between then and now, and indeed between my assumption of office
as Vice-Chancellor on October 16, 2007 and today, I have no reservations whatsoever in praising and
acknowledging Allah for seeing me and the rest of us this far. Though I am not a fan of the Nigerian mostly
banal fantasies that pass for home videos, I am observant enough to know that most of them at a point in time
would end their revelries with “To God be the Glory”. I also say To God be the Glory!
Five Pillars
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, a University is established all over the world primarily for teaching,
research and community service. This tripod, otherwise called the tripartite mandate of the University, may
be couched in different words in different contexts but the thrust of the three components would always
remain in the articulation of the purposes of Universities. In Nigeria, as contained in the Act of each public
University, a University is established for five reasons, viz:
a) To encourage the advancement of learning and to hold out to all persons without distinction of race,
creed, sex or political conviction the opportunity of acquiring a higher and liberal education;
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b) To provide courses of instruction and other facilities for the pursuit of learning in all its branches, and
to make those facilities available on proper terms to such persons as are equipped to benefit from them;
c) To encourage and promote scholarship and conduct research in all fields of learning and human
endeavour;
d) To relate its activities to the social, cultural and economic needs of the people of Nigeria; and
e) To undertake any other activities appropriate for a University of the highest standard.
For the purpose of convenience, I hope to highlight in the succeeding paragraphs why I feel gratified to say To
God be the Glory because the University of Ilorin has succeeded in justifying that its establishment was not a
mistake as it has delivered on its responsibilities vis-à-vis the stated objectives.
Encouraging the advancement of learning…
Since its inception till now, the University of Ilorin has been at the forefront of advancing learning to all
without discrimination. Not only are all the 36 states of the Federation represented in the University as
students (and staff), the University, cognizant of this purpose, continues to attract students from all over the
world. During the 2010/2011 academic session for example, some 71 students from 11 countries (Benin,
Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Niger, Pakistan, Sierra-Leone, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago as well
as Senegal) were admitted to various programmes at the University of Ilorin.
During the session, the University was a blessing to 8,591 new students that were registered for various
programmes. While 5,386 students were admitted to undergraduate programmes, 697 and 206 students were
enrolled for postgraduate academic and professional programmes respectively. Some 1,370 and 17 others
were admitted to the sub-degree and Language Immersion programmes of the University, all making a total
of the given 8,591.
Though more than one hundred thousand students desired to pursue various courses, undergraduate and
postgraduate, in the University, the need to assure quality, guarantee standard and remain within the
carrying capacity had constrained the University to the figure it admitted. It is our hope that the University
will continue to grow as it does now and be able to comprehensively “hold out to all persons” who seek to
learn within it in future. That the percentile ratio of the new entrants is 53% to 47% for males and females
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respectively bears testimony to the commitment of the University to the promotion of gender equity in the
system.
It is important to emphasise that not only is the University encouraging learning through admitting students
from all over the country and the world, since students are to be taught, the University is also recruiting the
best resources across the world as staff to deepen the University mission and actualise its vision. The
University staff are currently drawn from 32 out of the 36 states of the Federation while the nationals of
Ghana, Egypt, Italy, Japan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, The Netherlands, Sri Lanka, India, United States of
America and United Kingdom are members of the University staff.
Providing courses of instruction and other facilities for the pursuit of learning in all its
branches…
From the embers of three Faculties with which it started in 1976 when academic activities began, the
University of Ilorin currently has a total of 12 Faculties, which are Agriculture, Arts, Basic Medical Sciences,
Business and Social Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Communication and Information Sciences, Education,
Engineering and Technology, Law, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Science and Veterinary Medicine.
Specifically, the University at the end of the 2010/2011 session has a total of 12 Faculties, 81 academic
Departments with 58 undergraduate and 87 postgraduate programmes. These programmes are supported by
facilities, centres, structures and infrastructure that make the University a dream place to study and work. For
example, within the 2010/2011 session under review, the following facilities were provided to complement
those already on ground:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Rehabilitation of Roads
Construction of two complexes of CBT centres each for 500 test positions
Supply and installation of two 500KVA and one 350KVA sound proof generators
Construction of a Network Operating Centre
Development of over 150 hectares of Teak and Citrus Plantations.
Major rehabilitation of the Lodges (Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor and Chancellor)
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VII.
VIII.
XIX.
XX.
Construction of Professorial suites for the Faculty of Agriculture
Construction of a Block of Offices for the Faculty of BSS (Dean’s Office and Geography and
Environmental Management Department)
Construction of Faculty complex for Communication and Information Sciences to be commissioned
next Saturday.
Construction of Phonetics laboratory.
Introduction of internal transportation by tricycles on campus
Construction of the School of Preliminary Studies, University of Ilorin (built by Ilorin South Local
Government Area)
Construction of a Computer-Based Test Hall for Science and a Computer-Based Test Hall for
Engineering and Technology with 1,000 computers.
Creation of a Lake Resort facility with more than a kilometer of cleared and landscaped open ground
Construction of 18 blocks of buildings for the College of Health Sciences
Construction of a Fitness centre for the GRA Quarters
Construction of walk ways and improvement of sporting facilities
Support for the construction of ASUU building, Staff Cooperative Union complex, Students Union
Shopping Complex, Faculty of Science hostel, Alumni Association hostel, “Chicken Chilies” and
“African Pot”
Creation of an E-library with 100 computers.
Construction of two toilets at the gallery level of the University Auditorium
XXI.
Upgrade and furnishing of the Postgraduate Hostel;
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XXII.
Construction of Dental Clinic
XXIII.
Construction of Extension to the Gate House at the Main Gate;
XXIV.
Construction of 1,200m length of fence at Sentu end of the Campus;
XXV.
Completion of Gate, Gate House and Fence at Sentu;
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XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIII.
XXIX.
Construction of Jetty, Restaurant and Walkway at Dam Site to 50% completion;
Construction of Building and Equipping of Phonetic Laboratory;
Construction of GRA Staff Quarters’ Gate and Gate House;
Construction of Sand Crete fence at Bolorunduro.
For making possible the provision of the above facilities and others like them that support the pursuit
of learning in and around the University of Ilorin, we cannot but say, To God be the Glory.
Encouraging and promoting scholarship and conducting research…
As part of encouraging scholarship and promoting research, the University within the 2010/2011 session
awarded scholarships to 96 students who distinguished themselves as University scholars, spending some
N8,928,000.00 on them. Apart from this, the University also procured and distributed books on
postgraduate research and supervision. The University spent a sum of N40,918,109.60 on the sponsorship of
staff to international conferences during the year.
As the University moves from research for research sake to research for development, some of the completed
research works of the University have been patented while others are undergoing the patenting process.
While “Talk2chat: a desktop software application for multimedia communication on an Internet” was
patented during the session, others research efforts like “Biological treated Jatropha Curcas Kernel cake as
Feedstuff for Livestock”, “Conversion of Jatropha Fruit Pericarp and Seed Coat into High Performance
Adsorbent (Active Carbon)” and “Hyper-Coconut Yoghurt” are being processed for patenting. Our stem cell
research is also gaining more momentum with the Electron Microscopic Suites and the establishment of the
Institute of Medical Research to drive all the related research activities.
The commitment of the University to, and its support for research yielded more research outputs on the part
of the academic staff. At least 470 staff of the University were sponsored by the University and external bodies
to overseas conferences all over the world during the session. Our research-driven agenda, which also
informed the creation of the office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Technology and Innovation)
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reflected considerably in the 2,225 academic publications recorded by the University during the 2010/2011
session. This can be differentiated from the 1,014 publications recorded in 2009/2010 year and 849 that was
reported at the end of the 2008/2009 session.
At these conferences and other fora, the University continued to forge new partnerships, deepened academic
linkages and established inter-university cooperation for the advancement of knowledge and humanity. For
instance, our collaboration with Cape Peninsular University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa, resulted
in the planned establishment of an International Herbal Research Centre to be located at the University of
Ilorin while our partnership with Virginia State University, Virginia, USA, has led to the joint establishment
of the Centre for Human Capacity Development at Virginia State University.
Meanwhile, the University produced 4,710 first degree/ diploma and 620 higher degree/postgraduate
diploma graduands during the session under review, making a total graduate output of 5,330 for the year. The
University produced 24 diploma, 23 First Class, 875 Second Class Upper, 2,544 Second Class Lower, 1,019
Third Class, 99 Pass as well as 126 MB;BS graduands during the session. At the postgraduate level, the
University produced 80 postgraduate diploma, 399 Master’s, 69 professional postgraduate and 72 doctoral
graduands during the year. The breakdown of the graduands according to their Faculties is presented in the
following tables:
First Degree/Diploma - 2010/2011
First
Class
Faculty
Diploma
Agriculture
Arts
Basic Medical Sciences
Business and Social Sciences
13
Communication and Information
Sciences
Education
11
Second
Class
Upper
Second
Class
Lower
Third
Class
Pass
MBBS
Total
0
0
1
7
59
67
30
139
148
302
90
373
54
120
8
184
7
5
22
-
268
494
129
738
3
1
36
110
121
312
56
70
3
2
-
219
506
6
Institute of Education
Engineering and Technology
Law
Science
Clinical Sciences
Total
0
24
0
1
0
10
23
150
98
44
142
875
455
130
103
510
2,544
152
55
12
308
1,019
1
3
0
56
99
126
126
758
287
159
1,026
126
4,710
Higher Degree/ Postgraduate Diplomas - 2010/2011
Total
POSTGRADUATE
DIPLOMA
0
MASTER’S
3
107
24
MBA/MPA
/MILR/MG
IS/MPH
0
Business and Social Sciences
Clinical Sciences
Communication
and
Information
Sciences
Education
200
-
27
0
39
30
9
0
95
30
4
39
8
122
-
2
30
14
191
Engineering and Technology
Law
Science
TOTAL
17
80
19
27
62
399
69
4
0
8
72
23
27
87
620
Faculty
Agriculture
Arts
Basic Medical Sciences
PhDs
7
9
3
10
116
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Relating the University activities to the social, cultural and economic needs of the people of
Nigeria
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The University of Ilorin has a deep sense of community and all its activities are directed to the development of
man as the agent of socio-economic and cultural-political transformation. It is in this respect that the
University established and/or re-focused within the year under review such centres and offices as
Advancement Office, Open and Distance Learning Institute (ODLI), Centre for Ilorin Studies, Counselling
and Human Development Centre and Unilorin Archives and Documentation Centre all of which impact
positively on the community. The University also established during the year, as a result of a Memorandum of
Understanding with Kwara State Government, the Ilorin Centre for Appropriate Technology from the defunct
former Kwara State Centre for Appropriate Technology. The Centre will in due course be developing crafts in
and around Ilorin and position the University to further benefit and serve the community.
The Town and Gown Committee of the University continued to discharge its mandate with vigour and the
University School as well as Unilorin Secondary School continued to blaze the trail in providing quality
education for the immediate and distant communities around the University. The University was indeed
honoured by the Government of Kwara State and the Emir of Ilorin who commended the University on its
social responsibility and sense of community earlier in the year when the University led the Visitation Panel
of the Federal Government to the Government House and the Emir’s Palace. The words of the former Deputy
Governor of Kwara State, Chief Joel Ogundeji, and the Emir of Ilorin, HRM, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, at
the occasion were an elixir to the commitment of the University to addressing social, cultural and economic
needs of Nigerians, starting from the good people of Kwara State.
Undertaking other activities appropriate for a University of the highest standard
The University of Ilorin pursues other activities that are appropriate for a leading African University of the
highest standard. Apart from hosting scores of conferences and other academic fora, the University is hosting the
13th edition of the West Africa University Games (WAUG). In preparation for the Games, the University has
awarded contracts for the rehabilitation of the old pavilion and the construction of an office complex (N24.5
million), the construction of a new pavilion (N71 million), the refurbishment of the Indoor Sports Hall and the
Fitness Centre (N33 million), the construction of three Tartan tracks (over N163 million), the construction of four
synthetic tracks and purchase of sports equipment (N45 million) as well as the purchase of a Marcopolo Bus (over
N52 million).
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By mid-December, 2011 when all the contracts would have been executed, it will be very clear to those who do not
appreciate yet the huge investment the University is making in improving its sporting infrastructure using WAUG
as a source of inspiration. Our efforts towards hosting the West African youths will definitely foster interuniversity and regional cooperation and assist Nigeria and its neighbours in working together better to assure a
brighter and better future for the youths of the participating countries.
Besides, the University during the year created three ventures under a Governing Board. There is the Plantation
venture through which the University in recent years invested in the plantation of economic trees as part of
addressing climate change and the need for afforestation on one hand and investing in the future on the other.
Begun in 2008, the University of Ilorin today has 619 hectares of plantations. A quick breakdown is that the
University has 530 hectares of Teak (87 hectares planted in 2008; 100 hectares in 2009; 150 hectares in 2010 and
193 hectares in 2011), 28 hectares of Date Palms and two hectares of Citrus and Mango all meant for economic
and leisure purposes. Apart from those, the University has 45 hectares of Jatropha and we have also started to
plant Maringa (the magic tree) for research and economic purposes. Our newly created Department of Forestry
and Wildlife Management will definitely have a lot to do as all the plantations would be within its purview for
teaching, research and service.
The two other ventures are the Unilorin Lake Resort/ Drama Village and the Biological Garden. Though the
University places a high premium on the Sciences, the University is also resolved to pursue excellence in the
humanities and thereby harmonise humanity further. The Drama Village will promote aspects of indigenous
culture, craft, music and values. It is conceived to be a tourist centre where there will be something of interest for
everyone. The Biological Garden too which has recently taken more stock of animals and birds will also continue
to serve the teaching, research and leisure needs of the University community and the larger public.
Let’s Do It Together
On behalf of the University, I cordially invite you all to the subsequent activities of the Convocation. When we rise
from this briefing, we shall be going to Ajase-Ipo Road opposite ARMTI where the Governor of Kwara State, an
alumnus of this great University, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, will turn the sod for the new site of our Unilorin
Sugar Research Institute. At the same site, the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Okon Bassey Ewa,
will turn the sod for the National Centre for Hydropower Research and Development (NACHRED).
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Our convocation play will be staged on Wednesday 19th October 2011 beginning from 7:00p.m. at our Performing
Arts Theatre. A dance play by the prominent playwright, Prof. Femi Osofisan, I have it on good authority that
“Yungba Yungba and the Dance Contest” will be found interesting and entertaining by the viewers as the title
suggests.
Meanwhile, this Friday, 21st October, 2011 there will be a Convocation Lecture on “A Community to Serve”. The
lecturer is one of the pioneer staff of this University and the first Head of our Department of Medicine. I have no
doubt that we shall all learn and re-learn from Prof. John Hamilton of the School of Medicine and Public Health,
University of New Castle, New Castle, Australia. A cocktail in honour of the Convocation lecturer holds later in
the day at the Chancellor’s Lodge.
While the Visitor, President Goodluck Jonathan, will commission our various University projects on Saturday,
October 22, 2011, the Convocation for the award of prizes and degrees holds on Monday October 24 and Tuesday
October 25. On Monday, graduands of our four-year programmes in the Faculties of Arts, Business and Social
Sciences, Communication and Information sciences, Education and Science will convoke. On Tuesday, moreover,
it will be the turn of the graduands of a minimum of five-year programmes and the Postgraduate School of the
University. These are the graduands of the College of Health Sciences and the Faculties o Agriculture,
Engineering and Technology as well as Law. The programmes of the Convocation begin at 9:00a.m. prompt and
all guests and graduands, including our distinguished gentlemen of the press, are expected to be seated by 8:15
a.m. please. The 27th convocation ceremonies will be concluded with the convocation luncheon and Merit Awards
at the Vice-Chancellor’s Lodge on Tuesday by 1:00p.m. Those that are invited are all welcome to the various
events.
Last Note
It is also pleasing to note that the University invested in properties in Abuja and Lagos during the 2010/2011
session under review. The University now has a block of 4 flats at Sudan Street, Zone 6, Wuse, Abuja (at the
cost of N50 million), another block of 6 flats at Zone 1, Wuse, Abuja (at the cost of N110 million) and a 7bedroom House at Cappa Estate, Palmgrove, Lagos (at the cost of N90 million). We believe that these
investments are worthwhile and they will serve the University well in attaining its vision.
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It would also be recalled that due to all the activities mentioned and others that time constraints would not
allow, the University continued to have good ranking by ranking bodies. For the first time in the history of the
Nigerian universities, the University of Ilorin, apart from maintaining its leading position in Nigeria, was
ranked among the best 20 universities in Africa early this year by the well known webometrics ranking of
world universities. Though the University of Ilorin recently conceded its number one position in Nigeria to its
parent University due to identifiable factors, the University is poised, with the commitment of the staff and
the students, to rank and perform better by far than it had done in the subsequent rankings. Our collective
cooperation will certainly take the University to a higher pedestal always.
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you all for your attention and To God Be The Glory.
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