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Tag: University of Ilorin

  • UNILORIN VC debunks allegations of corrupt practices

    Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin has debunked allegations of corrupt practices levelled against the university administration, saying many people were not aware of the universities procedures.

     

    Ambali stated his position in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

     

    The vice-chancellor said that the university followed laid down guidelines in appointments of staff, payment of entitlements to principal officers and reappointment of principal officers.

     

    The don, however, expressed concern that many people in the university community were not familiar with these laid down guidelines and felt cheated for one reason or the other.

     

    “ In respect of appointments, all appointments are based on rules and regulations governing the appointment.

     

    “ Any request for engagement within the university are sent to the Heads of Department, who comment based on their own rules and regulations within the department; they either approve or disapprove.

     

    “We send a letter of apology to the applicant but if they approve we continue the process of the engagement; first at temporary level before the appointment is ratified along the way.

     

    “ Unfortunately, people are not very conversant with the rules and regulations governing all these things,” he said.

     

    The vice-chancellor also explained that for the entitlement of vice-chancellors and former vice-chancellors the management followed what the rules and regulations governing the campus stipulated.

     

    According to him, sitting principal officers who are serving, when their tenure ends and they want to return to the university, they will have to revert to their former status before their appointment for example vice-chancellor.

     

    Ambali added that such a person would also be paid the salary of the new position which off course would not be up to what they earned in their previous position.

     

    He explained that all contracts awarded by the institution followed due processes.

     

    NAN reports that some officers of the South-West Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had accused the University of pension fund fraud running into N2.5 billion and called on the anti-graft agency to institute a probe into the matter.

     

    The allegations listed in the petition included pension fraud, unremitted deductions, extortion from students, contract inflation and kick-backs; as well as unlawful payments to ex-principal officers of the university.

     

    However, Mr Kunle Akogun, the institution’s Head of Corporate Affairs, also described the allegation as “largely empty merely rehashed to make it look real.

     

    Akogun described those behind the petition as “ enemies of progress,’’ who are aghast at the pace of progress and continual giant strides being daily recorded by the university where transparency, honesty, accountability and due process were the key elements of administration.

     

    According to him, there is nothing new in the allegations contained in the petition.

     

    “The same fellows made the same allegations in August last year while shamefacedly kicking against the nationally acknowledged well-merited appointment of Prof. Oloyede as the Registrar of JAMB.

     

    “And of course, no one took them seriously, as even President Muhammadu Buhari, who is well-known for his zero tolerance for corruption, is not unaware of the due diligence credentials of the successive administrations of the University of Ilorin,” he said.

  • 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.

  • Unilorin students engage rural communities over health challenges

    Unilorin students engage rural communities over health challenges

    The 200 level medical students of the University of Ilorin have engaged eight Kwara rural communities with health challenges, for 21 days.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ilorin, reported that at the Oral Presentation of Community Based Experience and Services (COBES) of the College of Health Sciences, the villages lacked basic amenities such as portable water, electricity and standard health facilities.

    The report indicated that the medical students lived in the community for a period of three weeks and engaged the people on a series of health talks and community services.

    According to the findings, the communities are largely under-developed, with the old people suffering from arthritis, and the relatively younger ones with hypertension.

    The students report stated that some of the challenges witnessed in the communities were self medication, excessive consumption of alcohol by some people and the use of firewood for cooking, which exposes them to danger.

    The COBES report also indicated that some of the services the students rendered were distribution of First Aid boxes to the health centers and schools and also erecting sign-posts and warnings on prevention of HIV/AIDs.

    The reports also said the students, under the supervision of health workers, tested people for hypertension and other ailments, as well as engaged in environmental sanitation and waste disposal in the communities.

    Mr Jude Ifechukwu, a medical student, who was part of the COBES posting, told NAN that though the communities were friendly to them, the people were confronted with a series of health challenges that had become the bane of their lives.

    Ifechukwu disclosed that some of the health challenges prevalent in these communities included hypertension, diabetes, elephantiasis, diarrhea and typhoid, among others.

    Speaking at the event, Prof Wahab Johnson, Provost of the College of Health Sciences of Unilorin, urged the students to make judicious use of their experience and serve humanity.

    Johnson, who was represented by Prof Olanrewaju Adedoyin, Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, appealed to the students to serve in rural communities, adding that they have already witnessed first hand, the health challenges in these communities.

     In his remark, Dr Uthman Mubashir, COBES Coordinator, commended the management of the University for the initiative and the various communities for being welcoming hosts to the students.

    Chief Kayode Onire, of Igbonla Kingdom, one of the communities the COBES students served, told NAN that the students were well composed and hard-working and made great impressions on the community as a whole.

    Onire urged the school management to continue with such initiatives, saying that it would foster love and understanding between these future “doctors” and the rural dwellers.

    Some of the communities the medical students served in included: Alakuko, Apado, Ijagbo, Ikotun, Ipee, Iponrin, Oke-Ose and Igbonla Kingdom.

     

  • ABU, UNILAG, lead others to Abuja for maiden AMK/NUGA 3X3 Basketball

    ABU, UNILAG, lead others to Abuja for maiden AMK/NUGA 3X3 Basketball

    Hosts Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) did not disappoint their fans as they led the pack of teams to qualify for the final of the Ahmadu Musa Kida Foundation/Nigeria University Games (AMK/NUGA) maiden 3×3

    Basketball Competition which is scheduled to begin in Abuja on March 2, 2017.

    They emerged from the second qualifiers which was concluded in the early hours of Sunday morning at the Indoor Gymnasium Hall, ABU, Zaria.

    They would be joined by Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Kaduna State University, Kano University of Science and Technology Wudil and the University of Ilorin, who also topped the table respectively.

    Bayero University, Kano were not so lucky as they finished at the sixth spot, also unlucky were those who finished beneath them on the table. They are Federal University Lokoja, Federal University Dutse, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBUNI), Lapai, University of Maiduguri and Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State.

    For the female category, Bayero University topped the table, University of Ilorin was second and hosts ABU finished third. The three teams have qualified for the finals.They would be joined by teams that had earlier qualified from Lagos zone, led by the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

    Others are University of Ibadan (UI), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN),  Enugu State University (ESUT) and Benson Idahosa University (BIU). For the female category, UI leads the pack, UNILAG follows, BIU, UNN and UNIZIK complete the list respectively.

    When asked to comment on the outcome, NUGA Basketball Chairman, Professor Adamu Ahmed said he expects a tough competition in Abuja from March 3.

    He said that those that qualified from both qualifiers in Lagos and Zaria did so after stiff competition, but should prepare themselves for an even stiffer outing in Abuja when the best of the best converge.

    Professor Ahmed praised the AMK Foundation for keeping faith with NUGA Basketball in bankrolling the competition, while assuring that only the best team will emerge to represent Nigeria at the World Universities Tournament.

    The AMK Foundation is a nonprofit charity organization with interest in youths empowerment through sports. President of the Foundation Engr Musa Ahmadu Kida, is a former senior National Basketball player and Board member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the ABU Basketball Foundation.

    Professor Ahmed is one time National Basketball team player and Chairman Technical Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation.

    It would be recalled that AMK Foundation has for two years running been the sole sponsor of the West Africa 3 Aside basketball tournament.

  • Unilorin, ABUAD scientists partner to develop medicinal rice

    Unilorin, ABUAD scientists partner to develop medicinal rice

    Scientists at the University of Ilorin and their counterparts at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), are finalising arrangements to develop an improved rice variety with medicinal potentials  against cancer.

    A report in the  University of Ilorin Bulletin  on Monday stated that this was  the outcome of the collaboration  between the two institutions for which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Feb. 2.

    According to the report, the N50 million project would be carried out over a four-year period and expected to be funded from the National Research Fund of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TET-Fund).

    It said  that the project was aimed at enhancing the well-being of rice farmers and improving the health conditions of consumers in the country.

    “The main research collaborators include Prof. Samuel Onasanya,  Education Technology and Training Expert, University of Ilorin; Dr Michael Awolola,  Industrial Chemist, University of Ilorin  and Prof. Amos Onasanya, a Biochemist, Geneticist and Molecular Plant Pathologist.

    “Others are ABUAD dons like Prof. Olarotimi Ojo, a Chemist, and Dr Phillip Okiki, an Animal Health Expert, among others,’’ it said.

    The report quoted  the Vice-Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Prof. Michael Ajisafe, as saying that the MoU with University of Ilorin was the 13th the institution signed with other universities.

    “We are happy to partner with Unilorin, which is the most peaceful university in the country and we are sure that based on its antecedents, the partnership will work,” he  said.

    It also quoted the Deputy Vice-Chancellor,  Research, Technology and Innovations,  University of Ilorin, as saying  research collaboration was in pursuit of the university’s sustained bid for all-round development of the nation’s education system.

    “The country stands to gain a lot from it,” he  said.

     

  • Unilorin commences distribution of PC Tablets to students

    Unilorin commences distribution of PC Tablets to students

    The management of the University of  Ilorin says it has commenced the distribution of the outstanding PC tablets to affected students of the institution.

    A report in the university’s bulletin released on Monday in Ilorin said the exercise was in keeping with the management’s  commitment to the provision of effective teaching and learning aids.

    It said a management committee of the university had a meeting with student leaders and other stakeholders during which a time-table was fashioned out for the distribution exercise.

    Students of the Faculty of Law, the report said, were the first to receive their PC tablets.

    It would be recalled that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali,  had shortly before the Christmas and New Year break promised that the distribution exercise would commence in the second week of 2017.

    The report said that the delay in distributing the PC Tablets to students admitted during the 2015/2016 academic session was due to the inability of the contractor to supply the consignment on schedule due to foreign exchange challenges.

    It quoted the President of  the  institution’s students’ union, Shobowale Olawale, as commending the process, describing it  as “ satisfactory.’’

    “The Student Union is very excited about the Tablet distribution and on a general level, the students are also excited about the Tablets they received.

    “It is a dream come true because we have been expecting the Tablets for some time now,”  the report quoted Olawale as saying.

    According to the report, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Prof. Yisa AbdulKareem, who monitored the distribution exercise, noted that the university was committed to providing any facility that will aid teaching and learning.

    “The university is one of the first, if not the very first, to engage in this type of exercise and that is why we are so committed to ensuring that every beneficiary is given what is required,” it quoted AbdulKareem as saying.

  • Unilever to collaborate with Unilorin on entrepreneurship skills

    Unilever to collaborate with Unilorin on entrepreneurship skills

    Unilever Nigeria Plc. on Tuesday in Ilorin pledged its commitment to complementing the efforts of the University of Ilorin authorities at tutoring undergraduates on entrepreneurship skills.

    Unilever’s Leadership Development Specialist, Mr Ademola Odusanya, stated this when he paid a visit to the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali.

    Odusanya said that its commitment would enable the students to acquire skills they would need for real-time work life through the Company’s “U-Inspire Programme.

    He said the company would remain committed to promoting the ideals of its founding fathers by ensuring that it empowered young people.

    The specialist said the purpose of the visit was to inform the university authorities how Unilever had been contributing its quota to the success of the Nigerian vision.

    While commending the university authorities, Odusanya said the company would “reach out to young minds, catching them young from school, imparting knowledge in them with the support of the school’s management.”

    Responding, Ambali, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof Sidikat Ijaiya, described Unilever as a success story for having “remained afloat in spite of all the ups and downs”.

    The VC expressed appreciation to the company for embarking on the initiative, saying: “any organisation that invests in the development of the youth deserves commendation and we are most grateful to Unilever for bringing this to our campus.”

    Ambali bemoaned the unemployment challenge in the country, pointing out that employers of labour were no longer interested in certificates, but in the skills that graduates could bring to bear on their businesses.

  • Diarrhoea can cause erectile dysfunction – Biochemist

    Prof. Musa Yakubu of the University of Ilorin has asserted that diarrhoea can cause erectile dysfunction in men.

    Yakubu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Friday that diarrhoea was a condition in which watery faeces was frequently discharged.

    The biochemistry lecturer also revealed that the prevalence of diarrhoea in the country was as high as 18.8 per cent above the average of 16 per cent.

    Yakubu, renowned for herbal remedies, said that plantain could be used to cure diarrhoea.

    He also explained that ceratotheca sesamoides or false sesame had medicinal properties to cure the disease.

    The biochemist said that mangifera indica or mango was also an efficacious treatment for the disease.

    “Our finding shows that the plants and their sap contained relevant secondary anti-diarrhoeal bioactive agents that prolonged the onset time of diarrhoea.

    “It increased the inhibition of defecations and small intestine sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase,” he said.

    He said that the plants could be explored as alternatives in the management of diarrhoea.

    Yakubu reiterated that people with diarrhoea would not think of any sexual activity let alone reproduction.

     

  • Do not over-dress in humid weather- Don

    Prof. Adetayo Talabi of the Department of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, has advised Nigerians not to over-dress in humid weather to avoid dehydration.

     

    Talabi gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Ilorin.

     

    He said that hot and humid environment being currently experienced in the country could cause more loss of water from the body system.

     

    Talabi said that over-clothing in hot humid environment would disturb the cooling effect of the body which could lead to dehydration.

     

    “It also reduces the circulatory and temperature regulating mechanisms in the body,’’ he told NAN.

     

    The don explained that improved hydration helped weight loss and the ability to tolerate stress.

     

    “Regular intake of water all day long guarantees that one sweats well, urinates well, faeces do not become hard, skin does not crack and flesh is moist all the time.

     

    “Water is the body’s most important nutrient and 40 to 60 per cent of an individual’s body weight is water,” he said.

     

    Talabi warned that without water, death would occur within days at hot temperature.

     

    He said that water had tremendous heat stabilising qualities such as lubricating the joint and revitalising body tissues.

  • UniIlorin to render free education services

    UniIlorin to render free education services

    The Institute of Education, University of Ilorin is to provide free adult education and counselling services to its host community, Prof. Mudashiru Yusuf, the Director of the Institute, has said.

     

    Yusuf told newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara on Monday that the services, which would commence before the end of the year, was part of the university’s corporate social responsibility.

     

    “Efforts are on to bring back the self-sustaining extramural classes for candidates who have been failing in public examinations like the UTME and WAEC.

     

    “ The programme will be carried out as social services, its costs will be within the means of members of the University’s host community, “ he said.

     

    The director said that the institute would introduce diploma programmes in Human Kinetics, Health Education, Instructional Radio and Television, Arts and Craft, and Photography for School Certificate holders, and HND conversion programme.

     

    Yusuf explained that the expansion of the courses was part of the Institute’s mandate to add value to the socio-economic development of its host community.

     

    “We are planning a Community Counselling Centre, which is going to be a free service by the University.

     

    “Experts will be engaged to counsel on marital affairs, academic matters, job issues, mental health issues, and teenage affairs, “he said.

     

    Yusuf said the initiative was a joint effort of the university’s Counselling Unit, Centre for Supportive Services for the Deaf, Department of Health Education and the College of Health Sciences.

     

    “We want to give the community a standard extramural environment where students will be taught and not assisted to cheat like some centres are doing; we want to set the standard.

     

    “We are educators; we know the standard and we will not just be blaming others for doing what is wrong, we will establish the standard and then others will follow the standard,“ he said.

     

    According to him, the infrastructure required for the take-off of the programme “are on ground.”

     

    “We are discussing with the administration and we are calling experts to assess what we have on ground, and efforts are on to ensure that this place is put into very good shape,“ he said.