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Tag: Abdulganiyu Ambali

  • Unilorin holds 33rd convocation Oct. 21

    Unilorin holds 33rd convocation Oct. 21

    The University of Ilorin ( UNILORIN ) will hold its 33rd Convocation on Oct. 21, the Registrar of the institution, Mr Dada Emmanuel, has said.

    The registrar in a statement on Friday in Ilorin said the convocation would include award of Degrees and Diplomas as well as prizes to deserving graduates.

    According to him, other events for the convocation, including a book presentation in honour of the out-going Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, would commence from Oct. 13.

    He said the convocation lecture on the topic `The Genius in You: New Tools, Techniques and Technology for Developing the Individual and Institutional Greatness,’ would be delivered by Prof. Chris Imafidon of Oxford University, United Kingdom.

    NAN

  • UNILORIN promises NYG participants admission

    UNILORIN promises NYG participants admission

    The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin ( UNILORIN ), Prof. Abdul Ganiyu Ambali, has promised admission to participants of the National Youth Games ( NYG ) who wish to enter the institution in the 2017/2018 academic session.

    According to the University’s bulletin on Tuesday, the ( UNILORIN ) VC who gave the assurance while addressing athletes at the just concluded 3rd NYG, said if they meet the participant would be offered admission once they meet the University requirements.

    The NYG was hosted by the University between Sept. 9 and Sept. 16, 2017 which was the second consecutive hosting.

    He described the games as an opportunity to give the youths the chance to showcase their potentials.

    “It is the responsibility of all of us to impact our youths positively, wherever we can,” Ambali added.

  • Unilorin VC pledges to hand-over better University to successor

    Unilorin VC pledges to hand-over better University to successor

    Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, has pledged to hand over a better institution than he inherited five years ago, to his successor.

    Ambali, whose five-year tenure ends on October 15, 2017, disclosed this during an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Ilorin.

    The vice-chancellor noted that his administration had done its best towards sustaining the legacies of the founding fathers of the University.

    He added that, he had also succeeded in maintaining an uninterrupted academic calendar as well as ensuring peace on campus.

    “I have ensured that there is peace and that the majority of the people are satisfied as it is impossible to satisfy everyone.

    “I don’t have personal problem with anybody; everything I do, is done to the best of my ability, to achieve the golden rules and target of the university.

    “I have the responsibility of taking Unilorin to a higher level, to ensure that I hand over a better institution to my successor than what I inherited five years ago,” he said.

    Expressing gratitude to God for the opportunity to serve as vice-chancellor of the institution, Ambali said he has gained “tremendous experience”.

    Ambali, a professor of veterinary medicine said, “I used to tell people that one can’t be a good leader without being a good follower. I have seen vice-chancellors carrying out their responsibilities both within and outside Nigeria”.

    He added that he had served fewer than five vice-chancellors either as Head of Department, Dean or Director, and had learnt from the way each operated.

    The vice-chancellor said: “All of the cumulative experiences of my bosses are assembled and have had effect on my personality and in carrying out my responsibilities”.

    Ambali expressed gratitude to the Federal Government, TETFUND and other bodies that supported the university, adding that all funds received from them were “used to develop the institution.”

  • Nepalese bank mulls massive agric investment in UNILORIN

    Nepalese bank mulls massive agric investment in UNILORIN

    Nepal Khadhya Bank Ltd. says it is  prepared to invest massively in agriculture in the University of Ilorin as part of the country’s efforts to help fight hunger in Nigeria.

    Nepal is a landlocked country in southern Asia between the Tibet autonomous region of China and India.

    It contains eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest – the world’s tallest, on the border with Tibet, and Lumbini, the birth place of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.

    The Chairman of the bank, Mr RamRaja Shrestha disclosed this on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali.

    Shrestha said that the bank’s major objective was to promote agro-tourism and other agricultural investments.

    He said that the decision to invest in Nigeria stemmed from the fact that the country is blessed with very fertile land and underutilised natural resources.

    “When there is no hunger, there will be no anger; the people will be happy and there will be peace and progress in the nation.

    “We were informed that the University of Ilorin is peaceful and blessed with vast arable land.

    “So we think it is a good idea to partner with the institution in farming and agriculture,“ he said.

    Shrestha said that the agricultural activities would not be limited to planting and harvesting, but would include grain banking and  food processing.

    The Nepalese bank chairman noted that although the bank had made bad investments in the past “but this time, I have no doubt I am in the right place.”

    The Chairman of the World Institute for Peace, Mr Lamina Kamilu pointed out that the objective of the institute was to curb the menace of violence in the world and ensure peace.

    “Unilorin is one of the universities in the country in which people have great interest when it comes to honesty,” he said.

    Lamina commended the University for sustaining peace and progress, a virtue, which he said fetched the vice-chancellor, prestigious “Icon of Peace” award by the institute.

    Responding, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ambali, expressed delight at the Nepalese bank’s initiative aimed at curbing hunger in the country and for seeing the university as a worthy partner.

    He said that the institution has a land mass of about 15,000 hectares and “is always open to investors’’.

    Ambali, who noted that the university had been partnering with investors in various areas like solar power generation to ensure constant power supply.

    “Unilorin is the best bet you can partner with in Nigeria because your investment here is safe.

    “There is no strike or hooliganism that will put your investment at risk, and we have concentration of resources, both human and material.’’

    The vice-chancellor also appreciated the World Institute for Peace for finding him worthy of the award and for its effort in promoting peace all over the world.

  • Unilorin, Origin Group partner on honey production

    Unilorin, Origin Group partner on honey production

    The University of Ilorin, Ilorin, and a Lagos-based Company, Origin Group Nigeria Ltd., have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for commercial production of honey through the university’s Apiary Unit.

    The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, who spoke at the MoU signing ceremony on Wednesday in Ilorin, commended Origin Group for being the first company to invest in the Apiary Unit of the university.

    He also thanked the company for donating a tractor to the institution.

    Ambali assured the company of a regular supply of good-quality honey, adding that the arrangement would also contribute to teaching, research and entrepreneurial training in the university.

    He said that the relationship between the university and the company would be viable and beneficial, adding that it would also add value to the services rendered by the University because its multiplier effects would be great.

    In his remarks, the Director of Origin Group, Mr Sesan Ayeni, said that his company’s relationship with the university was not only for business.

    He said that it would also serve as a platform to create job opportunities and add value to the work of bee farmers.

  • UNILORIN spent N30m on electricity – VC

    UNILORIN spent N30m on electricity – VC

    Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, on Tuesday said the university spent over N30 million on electricity in March.

    Ambali disclosed this in Ilorin when he received members of the newly inaugurated Executive Council of the Postgraduate Students Association (POGSASS), in his office.

    He informed the POGSASS executives that the university had invested heavily on power supply because it was critical to research works.

    Ambali said that the university was collaborating with a U.S. company to build a 500MW solar energy plant as part of efforts to tackle the challenge of power supply plaguing the country.

    He therefore urged the post-graduate students of the institution to focus on quality research, especially on electricity.

    He said that post-graduate research was critical to universities due to the impact on their communities and on human lives in general.

    Ambali congratulated the new POGSASS leaders on their election.

    The vice-chancellor challenged them to come up with innovative solutions that could address the numerous challenges confronting the nation.

    “We want you to be employers of labour notwithstanding the economic recession.

    “When you think outside the box, you can take advantage of the economic recession to develop innovative solutions,” Ambali said.

    Earlier in his speech, the new POGSASS President, Mr. Olusola Tosin noted that the University of Ilorin was an institution known for peace and excellence.

    Tosin promised that the new POGSASS executive council members would conform to the mission and vision of the university.

     

  • VC orders herdsmen to vacate Unilorin land

    VC orders herdsmen to vacate Unilorin land

    Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali, the Vice – Chancellor (VC), University of Ilorin (Unilorin),  on Tuesday gave herdsmen encroaching on the institution’s land a seven-day ultimatum to quit.

    The Vice-Chancellor gave the ultimatum at a meeting he held with the representatives of the herdsmen and other stakeholders on the campus.

    He said that their presence there was a violation of the laws governing the university.

    “Your activities are affecting our research works. Plants grown for research works are being destroyed, slowing down the pace of research work.

    “We must ensure we do not hinder and frustrate each other, as we are members of the same society,” Ambali said.

    Ambali said that the meeting was called because the institution believed in dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts.

    “People are building permanent structures on our land. When we went round, we counted about 16 structures.

    “We want to use these plots for the purpose for which the university was established, hence, the need for this meeting.”

    The V-C said that the university had reached agreements with some foreign collaborators to develop the land for research purposes.

    Ambali said that the illegal activities of the herdsmen on the campus would affect the over 30,000 students of the university.

    He advised the herdsmen to cooperate with the institution to achieve its mission.

    The vice-chancellor told them that one of the reasons for establishing the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was to cater for the needs of the herdsmen, not to be a source of conflicts in the communities.

    Earlier, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Management Services, Prof. Adedayo Abdulkareem, noted that several university farms were being destroyed by the grazing cattle.

    He said that the unlawful encroachment on the institution’s landed property was worrisome to the university administration.

    Abdulkareem condemned the use of chemicals by the herdsmen for illegal fishing in the institution’s waters.

    The DVC described this as a dangerous development that could lead to water poisoning, as the university relied on the water for treatment and supply to the campus.

    Some of the herdsmen on the occasion thanked Ambali for the matured way he handled the situation.

    They promised to assist in arresting any of their members trespassing on the university’s land.

    They acknowledged the destruction of farms, assuring that they would leave whenever the institution wanted them to leave.

    Alhaji Baba Bello, the Daudu of Fufu, warned the herdsmen against building permanent structures on the university land, and decried the destruction of farms by the nomads.

  • UNILORIN partners US coy to build $1.5bn solar energy plant – VC

    The University of Ilorin is partnering with a U.S company to build a 500 megawatts solar energy plant as part of efforts to tackle the challenge of power supply in Nigeria.

    Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, disclosed this while speaking at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja on Sunday.

    “The 500 megawatts is too much for the university alone to utilize; in fact, we in the university require just a maximum of four megawatts.

     “Which means the extra 496 megawatts would have to be given to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, either the immediate community or nationwide. I think that is what is being processed.

     “We have had talks with various stakeholders who are going to be party to the consumption and payment of the 496 megawatts because the project is going to cost about 1.5 billion dollars.

     “It is a heavy investment. Which means the company that is going to bring the 1.5 billion dollars, has to be convinced that it will recoup its investment.

     “They (company) have made tremendous progress, they have talked to the government, they are talking with agencies of government and by the time they harmonise all these product of their discussion,  I am  sure they will take off and the government and Nigeria will now be the overall beneficiary of all those efforts.’’

     The Mr Brain Travis, Managing Director of the American company, said the selection of Uni-Ilorin as its partner was because the university had many reliable innovative projects.

    Travis, who described the project as the largest solar plant in Africa, said it would help empower the locals in terms of employment and training.

    “Most of us probably know there are difficulties with the whole power system in Nigeria. We will all like to have stable power.

    “We also are going to not sell into the national grid but try to solve the problem by entering into direct contract with Discos; because of the location of Ilorin, we have direct access to six district discos up and down the coast.

    “Each of those discos is determining how much of the power they want; they determine when they need the power, how they need it and how they are going to sell it.

    “So we will be effectively dealing with the people who need the power. So that we do not have the supply chain issues that exists now and that is the reason we are doing the solar project here. It has got good solar radiation.

    “We have an excellent host; you heard about the innovative projects of the Vice-Chancellor and it’s that spirit that allows us to come in and negotiate for a significant piece of property.

    “Also there is an obligation I understand from the university to help the local community. So we are going to be hiring local people as contractors as well as training local people in solar and renewable.’’

    He said the project would be completed in 18 months.

  • ECOWAS: Benin Republic academics in Unilorin for training

    Ilorin,The University of Ilorin on Tuesday, commenced two-week training programme on English language training for academics and non academics from the French-speaking Republic of Benin.

    Declaring the training open in Ilorin, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, said the programme was part the university’s effort to aid the integration programme in Africa.

    He said, “It is one of the things we need for deeper integration between Nigeria and Republic of Benin.”

    The vice-chancellor expressed optimism that the training would boost harmonisation of educational system in the sub-region.

    He also expressed the hope that acquisition of English language lesson by participants would bridge immigration formalities between the two countries

    “Africa is one blood, why should there be borders,” he said.

    In her remarks, the Director of the Unilorin Linguistic Immersion Centre, Dr Elizabeth De-Campus, said the foreign participants came to acquire deeper knowledge of the English language in the university.

    He said that the participants were members of staff of the University of Abumechalabi, Republic of Benin.

    De-Campus said it was the centre which sent memos to various West African countries, asking them to send not only their students but also administrators for the training.

     

  • Herdsmen pose security threat to UNILORIN, says VC

    Herdsmen pose security threat to UNILORIN, says VC

    •UNILORIN ranked 1,842nd in the world

    The Vice-Chancellor the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has said encroachment by Fulani herdsmen and their cattle is posing “serious security threat” to the institution.

    He urged the Federal Government to fence the university.

    The professor of veterinary medicine spoke with reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on the institution’s 30th convocation lecture.

    He said for the first time in history, a Nigerian university was ranked 20th in Africa and 1,842nd in the world.

    The vice chancellor said: “I am happy to restate that a remarkable thing happened to the Nigerian university system this year, courtesy of UNILORIN. For the first time since ranking began, a Nigerian university was ranked among the best 2,000 universities in the world. The latest ranking of international colleges and universities places the university first in Nigeria, 20th in Africa and the 1,842nd in the world.

    “Though we are not satisfied to occupy the position we are on the global stage until we are ranked within the best 200, the achievement of the university will be underscored when it is realised that 11,307 colleges and universities are sampled in the ranking in 200 countries. The United States alone, not to talk of other advanced countries, has much more that 3,000 universities.

    “The modest work being done at the university has made it the darling of admission applicants in Nigeria; the university was the eighth most preferred in 2011 and fifth most preferred in 2012. Last year, we became the 2nd most preferred university in Nigeria and this year we became the number one choice of applicants with over 105,000 applicants, the second most preferred university having 74,000 applicants.”

    On his administration’s achievements, Ambali said: “We have embarked on 10,000 hectares of oil palm plantation. We all know that the Malaysian economy relies much on oil palm and there is a report that they took the seed from Nigeria a few decades ago.

    “However, our country imports about 500,000 metric tonnes of palm oil annually while Malaysia exported about 24 trillion metric tonnes of palm oil in 2012 to the United States, the European Union, China and India. The export earned the country some 20 billion pound sterling (about N5.314 trillion).”

    The vc put the number of graduating students at 6,328, with 5,438 getting first degrees and 890 higher degrees/diploma.

    He said: “In the first degree category, 48 made first class; 1,290 second class upper; 2,814 second class lower; 1,067 third class; 84 pass; 18 diplomas and 217 MBBS.”