Tag: University of Ibadan

The Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, and the Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, have hailed the Federal Government for shortlisting the institutions as beneficiaries of the recently-approved key electricity projects.

The duo spoke while fielding questions from reporters at the induction of 29 graduates of the Department of Physiotherapy, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.

Prof. Adebowale, who was elated at the inclusion of the premier institution on the list of beneficiaries, said the cost of electricity to run the institution had been a major challenge that had been gulping huge resources of the institution.

He said: “There’s no doubt that the issue of electricity cuts across all the activities of the university.

“In many universities, I’m sure the average amount spent every month is in excess of N100 million, so we are spending more than a billion on the provision of electricity alone. So if you can have this private electricity supply, it will definitely aid and promote activities in the university.

“For the University of Ibadan, I was told that they will be able to supply about 13megawatts of electricity. This will be excellent, because I can say that even after about five years, we will not be able to get to that, because now the full load that we need for the university is just about 11 megawatts.

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“So with 13MW, you will see that we have already been strategic about it. In the next five years, we will not have any cause to run helter-skelter about electricity supply.

“So, on behalf of all the universities, I want to thank the Federal Government, and also particularly the Minister of Power.”

Prof. Otegbayo said the news was a huge relief for the management, noting that constant electricity would increase the productivity and efficiency of the facility.

Expressing appreciation to President Tinubu, the UCH CMD said the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President was working and turning the health care sector around positively.

The Nation reports that the Federal Executive Council recently approved N68.7 billion for key electricity projects in universities and teaching hospitals across the country.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made the disclosure after the FEC meeting on July 31, chaired by President Tinubu, at the State House, Abuja.

He said the projects reflected the government’s resolve to ensure a steady electricity supply in vital sectors such as health and education, adding that the university project involved engineering, procurement and construction under the Energising Education Programme, led by the Rural Electrification Agency.

The newly-approved funding, according to the minister, would support electrification in eight additional universities and teaching hospitals nationwide.

They include: University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Ibadan, with its University College Hospital, University of Calabar and Federal University, Wukari.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, has assured that the university will sustain its symbiotic relationship with the Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute (including Health and Agriculture), PAULESI.

Professor Adebowale gave the assurance when the new director of the Institute, Professor Mubo Sonibare paid a courtesy visit to the office of the Vice-Chancellor.

The VC congratulated Professor Sonibare on her emergence as the Director of PAULESI despite the protracted process and commended her for observing official protocol by her visit to the office of the Vice Chancellor.

He reiterated that PAULESI was a continental initiative of the African Union Commission (AUC) to consolidate plans of action for the development of science and technology in Africa through education. 

He disclosed that UI management had consistently supported the institute in its drive to be a major instrument for the fulfilment of the AUC vision for Africa.

He recalled that the University of Ibadan keenly contested and won to host PAULESI in West Africa as one of the five replicas established across the continent.

The VC noted that with a substantive director at the helm of affairs in the institute, new grounds would be broken.

He stated that the university was aware of the challenges being faced by the institute and assured the director of UI’s renewed commitment to facilitating interventions for physical expansion of the facilities and an improved environment for the foreign students.

He, therefore, charged the director to work hard with a high level of commitment and integrity as she serves the University of Ibadan as well as PAULESI, saying that occupying the position comes with huge responsibilities and challenges.

Earlier, the new Director of PAULESI, Professor Sonibare, a Professor of Pharmacognosy from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan said that the purpose of the visit was to seek more collaboration, synergy, and strengthening of the university’s support for PAULESI.

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She reiterated that PAULESI was an initiative of the African Union with four other institutes in Central Africa, South Africa, East Africa, and North Africa.

Professor Sonibare said PAULESI was solely established for Africans to look inwards, define, and find solutions to the problems facing the African continent in order to reduce its dependence on the Western world.

She noted that there had been a synergetic relationship between UI and PAULESI as the institute has been of immense benefit to the university globally and locally in terms of ranking.

The Director said that the number of international students in the University of Ibadan has increased through the activities of PAULESI and expressed the hope that the collaboration will be strengthened and sustained so that the vision of the founders of the initiative would be realised.

Twin brothers, Matthew and Matthias Busoye, have made history at the University of Ibadan by both graduating with first-class honours and an identical final CGPA of 3.94 out of 4.00 from the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering.

Their academic journey was nothing short of extraordinary, as the duo not only led their department but also clinched the title of best graduating students in the entire Faculty of Technology for the 2023/2024 academic session.

In a celebratory post on X.com, Matthias reflected on their path to excellence, describing it as one defined by unwavering commitment to academic success and impactful leadership.

From their very first year, the brothers set a high bar. At 100 level, they earned CGPAs of 3.84 (Matthias) and 3.89 (Matthew).

Their performance only improved with time—3.92 and 3.94 at 200 level, 3.95 and 3.93 at 300 level, 3.94 and 3.93 at 400 level—culminating in a perfectly matched 3.94 CGPA apiece at 500 level.

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In a separate post on X on Thursday, Matthew wrote, “Yesterday, I had the honour of delivering the induction speech as the Best Graduating Student of the Faculty.

“Rooted in my personal journey, I shared words I hope will inspire someone to rise above present struggles and keep pushing forward.

“Truth be told, this still feels surreal. My brother and I standing here today isn’t a reflection of being the most deserving or most diligent students; far from it. But for some reason, we are here,”

During their time at the University of Ibadan, Matthias held the position of Speaker in the 11th Assembly of the Students’ Representative Council, while Matthew took on a leadership role as President of the Society of Electronic and Electrical Engineering Students (SEEEES-UI) for the 2023/2024 academic session.

The University of Ibadan has confirmed that no student was harmed or traumatized in what it described as a lone starling attack at the Awolowo Hall of Residence last week.

The management also clarified that the incident was not a case of robbery, countering claims by what it referred to as “misguided newshounds” intent on embarrassing the institution.

Speaking through the Registrar, Ganiyu Saliu, in a statement on Sunday, the management confirmed that the lone thief entered two rooms in the hall and stole the mobile phones of the students.

The statement reads in part, “The Management of the University of Ibadan has read with dismay the news about a lone stealing attack in one of the Halls of Residence of the University.

“Management states that it was a lone thief who entered two of the rooms in the hall and stole the mobile phones of the students. The rooms were inadvertently opened by the students themselves.

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“The thief fled immediately when an alarm was raised, and the safety officers swung into action.

“The police were alerted, and efforts were made to track the thief.

“Management states that it was not a case of armed robbery as being touted by misguided newshounds bent on embarrassing the University.

“Management states that no students were harmed or traumatized and wishes to assure members of the public of the safety of lives and property on the campus.”