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Tag: University of Ilorin (Unilorin)

  • Don seeks end to unprescribed antibiotics sale

    Don seeks end to unprescribed antibiotics sale

    By Akeusola Khodijat

    The immediate past Dean of the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof. Aliyu Ajibola Akanbi, has urged the Federal Government to enact a law that would abolish the sale of antibiotics without prescription to reduce drug misuse, among others.

    Akanbi delivered the 288th Inaugural Lecture of the university, entitled: “The Pandemic of Antimicrobial Resistance and the Experience of a Clinical Microbiologist”, on campus.       

    He explained that the enactment of the law would limit misuse, recognise the link between misuse and antibiotic resistance and enforce necessary regulations in the interest of humanity.

    He  urged stakeholders at national and global levels to provide the general populace with comprehensive education on complications associated with excessive usage of antibiotics and the importance of abiding by prescribed treatment regimens.

    Akanbi  explained that concerted efforts must be made to enlighten members of the public and health care professionals and those  involved in animal health and agriculture to always abide by medical prescriptions.

    The  pioneer Dean of the Faculty, canvassed the rational use of antibiotics when necessary, saying that appropriate dosage should only be given and administered to address resistance to existing drugs.

    He suggested that all other initiatives to improve antibiotic use, improved patient outcomes and decreased adverse effects should be considered towards addressing the menace.

    The don also suggested the use of multiple antibiotics with different mechanisms of action to treat infections. He said the suggestion will go a long way in reducing resistance to antibiotics by the human system.

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    He warned against the improper use of combination therapy, saying that it can accelerate resistance.

    Akanbi  also suggested the monitoring and tracking of resistance patterns, pointing out that doing so would help to formulate treatment guidelines, and concomitantly guide treatment decisions.

     “We need to integrate guidelines on antibiotics usage in humans, animals and the environment. He added that effective surveillance will help in developing and monitoring therapy and development of new antimicrobials,” he said.

    He called for environmental regulations, noting that it will reduce antibiotic use in agriculture and limit resistance spread.

    He explained that the major feature of this regulation should include managing waste water, solid waste and agricultural products to minimise the spread of resistance by promoting responsible antimicrobial use, improving sanitation and hygiene.

    The don stressed the need for an adequate public awareness campaign against irresponsible use of drugs.

    He said it was imperative to  prioritise hand hygiene through frequent hand washing with soap and water especially in health care settings, stressing that it would help to prevent the spread of resistant organisms.

    He urged members of the public to cultivate the habit of consulting health care professionals on any symptom and follow their instructions for treatment, warning that it is dangerous to share antibiotics with others or use leftover antibiotics without consulting a doctor.

  • 10,789 UNILORIN students beneficiaries of NELfund, says VC

    10,789 UNILORIN students beneficiaries of NELfund, says VC

    •Tax reform proposal to better operations

    No fewer than 10,789 students of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) have so far benefited from the Nigerian Education Fund (NELfund) loan, its vice chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole has said.

    Prof. Egbewole is optimistic that the number would double at the end of this session.

    The jurisprudence law professor told reporters in Ilorin as part of activities heralding the 50th anniversary of the institution.

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    He said that “as at now, we have verified that 10,789 students have benefited from NELfund loan.

    “We are hoping that by the time we do the verification for 2024/2025 session, this figure will double.”

    On the proposed tax reforms, Prof. Egbewole said “as a lawyer, a reform is a reform. It is to look at what they are doing to better the present reform.

    “That is exactly what the government wants to do with the tax reforms bill. But that is also in the realm of speculation.

    “The  bill is still with the National Assembly. NASS is dealing with the issue. The political class is also dealing with the backlash. It is not for me to go into.”

    On alleged scrapping of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund), Egbewole said as a lawyer, he deals “with facts and figures”.

    “ASUU may have its own position on TETfund issue, but government has not come out to say it will scrap TETfund,” the VC said.

  • UNILORIN don fabricates pencil making machine

    The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has recorded another research breakthrough as a senior lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr Habeeb Adewale Ajimotokan, has fabricated a machine that can produce different shapes of pencils in commercial quantities.

    Ajimotokan said the machine, which was fabricated from local materials, can produce 400 units of pencils in an hour.

    The specialist in Mechanical Process and Energy Engineering said that he and his team were also working on producing eraser-fitting and pencil-end-cutter, which would make the local production of pencils a reality.

    He said the first set of pencils produced through the machine could only be sharpened with razor blade; but after improvement, it was able to produce pencils comparable with imported ones.

    Raw materials for the pencil, Ajimotokan said, were gotten from waste papers and graphide that are readily available.  He added that pencil-making was not only cheap but could provide jobs for many unemployed youths.

    Dr. Ajimotokan said that he was motivated to work on the domestication of the pencil-making machine in order to reduce the amount of hard currency spent in importation of such essential item used in the education sector.

    Read Also: Pencil Unbroken to hold June 23

    He praised the UNILORIN Vice-Chancellor, Prof Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, and his management team, for encouraging productivity and ingenuity among workers and students of the university.

    He particularly praised the VC for his encouragement, saying that he started the processes which led to the re-modification of the machine when the Vice-Chancellor was the Director of the University’s Laboratory to Products (LABTOP) Unit.

    Dr. Ajimotokan, who lamented the paucity of funds for the project, called on entrepreneurs to partner with the University in producing the machine in large quantities.

    He also said that it was important for governments at various levels to encourage scientific and technological innovations through favourable public policies and adequate funding of research, saying that Nigerian scholars have the expertise to go places if given the enabling environment.

  • Unilorin to admit 12,000 candidates for 2019/2020 academic session

    Authorities of the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) have began lobbying the National Universities Commission (NUC) for increase in the existing admission quota allotted the institution initially pegged at 10,900, it was learnt

    In deed Vice Chancellor of the institution Prof Sulyman AbdulKareem revealed that Unilorin would admit about 12,000 candidates for the 2019/2020 academic session.

    Prof Abdulkareem said the move was to accommodate huge number of admission seekers, particularly now that Unilorin has become one of the most subscribed citadels of learning in the country.

    Speaking at the annual breaking of fast (Iftar) with reporters in Ilorin, Abdulkareem disclosed that his goal was to have limitless admission quota but for NUC and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) regulatory activities.

    The VC stated that the allocation of admission quota for students was dependent on carrying capacity and facilities on each campus of the universities.

    He added that the main challenge his administration was grappling with was how to provide enough classrooms because of increase in the number of students on campus.

    Abdulkareem noted that the university was currently making use of available large lecture theatres to accommodate the students, adding that he had reached out to the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND) for support in building large lecture halls.

    He maintained that the institution had provided sufficient gadgets in the lecture theatres on campus to make lecture delivery easy for both lecturers and students.

    Said he: “My goal as Vice-Chancellor is to have limitless admission quota but we know that is regulated by NUC, and they usually base that on facilities on campus. I must disclose that for 10 years, I was admission Chairman for University of Ilorin.

    Read Also: Unilorin to build four lecture theatres, toilets

    “So, I remember many times I carried message to JAMB and NUC to solicit for increase in our quota. Even at that, today the normal quota is 10,900 but they are going to give room for alteration and allow us to admit for a session not more than 12,000 Students.

    “Our biggest problem is the 100 Level courses that have large number of students, especially if you look at Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Biology that all 100 Level students must take in very large number.

    “Till now, we have been having problem. But lately in this session, what we have been doing is using our big Lecture Theatre, Multipurpose Theatre and having enough chairs. I thought I was doing something new but when I got to London, I was told that this is the classroom of the future. If you go to that multipurpose theatre now, we have brought in enough gadgets to make lecture delivery easy for the lecturers and for the students to learn.

    “The issue though is that we cannot go on increasing the number, and I have been soliciting for TETFUND assistance to have large lecture theatres that can accommodate large class size. But they are also advising us that when a class gets too large, it is very difficult for lecturers to monitor.”

  • Religious leaders carpet JOHESU, FG over strike

    Ex-national commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Osun state, Prof Razak Abubakre and former Kwara state scribe of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev Cornelius Fawenu have blamed the Federal Government and health workers on the current Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU)’s strike.

    They both said the action of the workers is morally and spiritually not bad. Abubakre, a retired professor of Islamic Studies from the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) said that the workers are “entrusted with the care, concern and treatment of patients in the hospital. Money is important but it is secondary. Secondly, the primary role of the health workers is to save lives; when you are on such sensitive appointment, if you go on strike you are dishonouring your role as an instrument in the hands of God.

    “Thirdly, if you pay Zakat on the money being paid for the work not done there is no reward for it. Eating from the money they pay you from the job you did not do is haram. “Workers should not go on strike on frivolities and asking for parity with those who are trained for seven years. It is unfair. They should look for something else to talk about not on parity. Ab initio the structure of the strike is very weak. It is unreasonable. Even if it is reasonable the strike is not good.

    Read Also:Religious leaders carpet JOHESU, FG over strike

    “The Federal Government should be responsible enough by encouraging the culture of no strike. Government should listen to complaints before workers embark on strike. It should be alive to prevent strike.

    “Going on strike for months by the health workers is not fair to all as nobody knows who is the next victim of emergency?

    “The policy of no work no pay is another reactionary move by government. I don’t want no work no pay. That is an attempt to muzzle up labour instead of by mutual understanding.”

    Rev Fawenu, former Special Adviser to Kwara state Governor Abdulfatah

    Ahmed on Religious Matters said: “I am looking at the strike from both moral and biblical perspectives. From the biblical perspective, the scripture is very unambiguous with working and its commensurate wages. It says he who does not work is not expected to eat. It is not right
    and immoral to expect payment for the work you have not done. The scripture also says the wages of labourer must be paid without delay.

    “In the particular case of JOHESU, part of the agitation is that the wages they are being paid have not been commensurate with the work they have done in the past. And they are also asking for improved services.

    “It is for them to consider the nature of their work in this particular case. Their work has some humanitarian dimension. This is a work that somebody the humanity side of you should be able to make you to be considerate. Those who are actually suffering from this strike now are not people in government. Those that are well to do access Medicare outside the shores of Nigeria. They need to be considerate of the masses. They have a good cause but that turn to bad one if they are not considerate of the masses.

    “I urge the government to at least sit up by setting its priorities right and do the right thing because something necessitated what has happened. Let us go back to the issue and deal with the roots.”

  • Religious leaders carpet JOHESU, FG over strike

    Ex-national commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Osun state, Prof Razak Abubakre and former Kwara state scribe of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev Cornelius Fawenu have blamed the Federal Government and health workers on the current Joint Health
    Workers Union (JOHESU)’s strike.

    They both said the action of the workers is morally and spiritually not bad.

    Abubakre, a retired professor of Islamic Studies from the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) said that the workers are “entrusted with the care, concern and treatment of patients in the hospital. Money is important but it is secondary. Secondly, the primary role of the health workers is to save lives; when you are on such sensitive appointment, if you go on strike you are dishonouring your role as an instrument in the hands of God.

    “Thirdly, if you pay Zakat on the money being paid for the work not done there is no reward for it. Eating from the money they pay you from the job you did not do is haram.

    “Workers should not go on strike on frivolities and asking for parity with those who are trained for seven years. It is unfair. They should look for something else to talk about not on parity. Ab initio the structure of the strike is very weak. It is unreasonable. Even if it is reasonable the strike is not good.

    “The Federal Government should be responsible enough by encouraging the culture of no strike. Government should listen to complaints before workers embark on strike. It should be alive to prevent strike.

    Read Also:Court orders JOHESU to end strike

    “Going on strike for months by the health workers is not fair to all as nobody knows who is the next victim of emergency?

    “The policy of no work no pay is another reactionary move by government. I don’t want no work no pay. That is an attempt to muzzle up labour instead of by mutual understanding.”

    Rev Fawenu, former Special Adviser to Kwara state Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Religious Matters said: “I am looking at the strike from both moral and biblical perspectives. From the biblical perspective, the scripture is very unambiguous with working and its commensurate wages. It says he who does not work is not expected to eat. It is not right and immoral to expect payment for the work you have not done. The scripture also says the wages of labourer must be paid without delay.

    “In the particular case of JOHESU, part of the agitation is that the wages they are being paid have not been commensurate with the work they have done in the past. And they are also asking for improved services.

    “It is for them to consider the nature of their work in this particular case. Their work has some humanitarian dimension. This is a work that somebody the humanity side of you should be able to make you to be considerate. Those who are actually suffering from this strike now are not people in government. Those that are well to do access medicare outside the shores of Nigeria. They need to be considerate of the masses. They have a good cause but that turn to bad one if they are not considerate of the masses.

    “I urge the government to at least sit up by setting its priorities right and do the right thing because something necessitated what has happened. Let us go back to the issue and deal with the roots.”

  • AIB, Unilorin sign agreement on usage of $5.8m lab

    AIB, Unilorin sign agreement on usage of $5.8m lab

    The University of Ilorin (Unilorin) and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the usage of the bureau’s $5.8 million metallurgical laboratory at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agreement was signed by both parties at the AIB’s headquarters at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Tuesday.

    Mr Akin Olateru, the Commissioner of AIB, said at the signing ceremony that the partnership would be beneficial to the agency and the university.

    He said it was worrisome that both private and public business organisations expend little or no resources to funding of researches and projects in the country.

    According to him, Harvard University in the United States alone has in excess of $30 billion for research purposes.

    The commissioner said with adequate research, the country would benefit more.

    He explained that the vision of the management was to make the laboratory a world class facility where giant construction companies and countries like South Africa, United Kingdom and other European nations could come to conduct research.

    The AIB boss said the collaboration with the university would lead to the recognition of Nigeria as a serious nation in research in the international community.

    He maintained that usage of the facility would lead to human capital development in the country, while the laboratory would also give students more opportunity to practise whatever they had been taught in the classrooms.

    Olateru said :”This is a very important occasion for us and I believe University of Ilorin too should be proud of this occasion.

    ” I have about 30 years experience in aviation and this is the first that I know of, that an aviation agency is signing an MOU with any higher institution in this country for the benefit of Nigerians.

    “Let’s look at it very well, Federal Government owns AIB and University of Ilorin is equally owned by the federal government. Why can’t we collaborate?

    “I challenge every other agency to see how we can all collaborate. No more a stand-alone business. We should find a way how we can benefit on one and other.

    “You don’t need to have all the resources, competence or the technical expertise by yourself; it is all about collaboration,” he said.

    Olateru said that the agency hoped to lure more academic institutions to make use of the facility, stressing that it would also form part of its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    On his part, the leader of the university’s delegation, Prof. Yinusa Jimoh, noted that it was the first time the institution would sign an MoU with any Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) in the country.

    He expressed the hope that it would be mutually benefitial to parties involved.

    Jimoh noted that Nigeria had a lot to gain from the partnership, stressing that rather than travel abroad for research, they would be able to do so with ease in the country.

    He enjoined other academic institutions in the country to take a cue from the institution by looking inward whenever they are conducting researches, stressing that this would also go a long way in curbing capital flight out of the country.

    “Nigeria has a lot to gain through this partnership because Nigerians go to every part of the world for research purposes.

    “We still send materials overseas when we are doing some research work. Our facilities still require improvement and this is a good facility for us; we are taking good opportunity of this.

    “We are looking for a place to improve our facilities and we have it now. By tomorrow, this thing that we are starting today will be a huge benefit for this country.

    “I can assure you that we are starting an agreement that would be sustained. It’s a win-win situation for all of us involved,” Jimoh said.

  • 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.

  • Third National Youth Games to hold in Unilorin in September

    Third National Youth Games to hold in Unilorin in September

    Sept. 7 and Sept. 17th have been approved as dates for the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) to host the third edition of the National Youth Games (NYG).

    According to the Unilorin Bulletin issued Monday in Ilorin, the dates’ approval as well as venue approval were as a result of the university’s successful hosting of the second edition.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the second edition was held in 2016, with the first edition held in 2013 at Abuja.

    The bulletin indicated that the 2017 edition of the Games is expected to provide the opportunities for the selection of athletes who will represent the country at the World Youth Games.

    The publication noted that a meeting was held between the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development and the management of University of Ilorin.

    “We will contribute something tangible as a legacy here”, it state,” the VC said

  • UNILAG stuns all, lifts AMK/NUGA Basketball trophy

    UNILAG stuns all, lifts AMK/NUGA Basketball trophy

    The University of Lagos (UNILAG) male team have emerged champions of the maiden edition of the Ahmadu Musa Kida (AMK) Foundation/Nigeria University Games (NUGA) 3X3 Basketball Competition in a final decided on Sunday in Abuja.

    They beat neighbours, University of Ibadan (UI) in the final game to claim the trophy as well as qualify to represent Nigeria at the World University Tournament.

    Basketball power house, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) settled for the bronze medal.

    In the female category, Bayero University Kano (BUK) subdued fellow northern team, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) to pick the gold, leaving the latter with the silver.

    University of Ibadan again, put up a good fight to settle for the bronze medal.

    ABU defeated Nasssrawa to pick bronze in men and UI defeated UNIZIK.

    Minister of Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung, who was the Special Guest of Honour, lauded AMK Foundation as shining example of what NGO’s can do to promote youth empowerment through sports.

    He confirmed readiness of government to reforming the sports sector insisting that the only pathway to growth will be through the grassroots.

    He also thanked NUGA for expanding its programs beyond the biannual sporting festival.
    AMK Foundation President Engr Musa Ahmadu Kida in his speech expressed the readiness of the Foundation to remain committed to its foundation goals of empowering the youths through education and sports, saying that the investment in NUGA basketball is a continuation of that service.

    He confirmed the interest of the foundation to solidify the partnership with NUGA going further into other Basketball enterprises.

    NUGA President Professor Stephen Hamafyelto expressed gratitude to AMK for the sponsorship urging other private stakeholders to follow suit.

    He also canvassed for adequate funding for NUGA from government to ensure that the sporting sector within the university system remains vibrant.

    Other side events at the occasion were a slam dunk competition, free throws, and a 3pts shoot out. Most valuable player awards were given to outstanding male and female players.