Date: 2016-01-05

p>The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), has said that the University has continued to maintain its Number One position among universities in the country because it is "blessed with a crop of dedicated staff, who take their jobs seriously".

Prof. Ambali, who stated this in Abuja penultimate Wednesday (December 23, 2015) during a visit to the Federal Ministry of Education, said that the choice of the University by most admission seekers in the country is due to its over 15 years uninterrupted academic calendar.

The Vice-Chancellor, who was responding to a question posed to him by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, on "why Unilorin is the most preferred university among admission seekers in the country", said, "The University started on a good footing as a branch of the University of Ibadan and within nine months, we were upgraded to a standard University and since then we have been championing the course of quality education."

Prof. Ambali explained further, "We ensure that we give the best education deserved. In the last 15 years, we have never closed our doors to our students. We have a dedicated crop of both academic and non-teaching staff that take their jobs seriously. We try to work towards our mission by ensuring that we create the enabling environment conducive for teaching and learning, and we cherish very much that when you come to the University of Ilorin you will feel proud to belong to the academic environment. We also ensure that the maintenance culture that is lacking in some universities is well adhered to".

Pointing out that the University has zero tolerance to vices such as cultism, examination malpractices, indecent dressing, corruption, and laziness to work, among others, the Vice-Chancellor said, "We have a well-cultured system on ground that whoever is caught will face the disciplinary committee and if found guilty will be asked to go and that has also given us a unique picture of a university". "We continue to sustain whatever we initiated", Prof. Ambali disclosed, explaining that "in the last three years, we started a programme of empowering all our students with PC tablets. This was well received by all and even this year will not be a difference. In a couple of weeks to come we will be distributing another set of PC tablets to our new students".

The Vice-Chancellor also told the Minister, "We also make sure that our staff abide by the rules of the game. We make sure that they know that the University belongs to them and that has been demonstrated. For instance, the University ASUU has built hostel for our students and constructed shopping mall for members of the University Community".

Prof. Ambali said that the University of Ilorin also has high regards for international scholarship. He said, "We have a number of MoUs with a number of international partners. We also have quite a number of international students. We also have a very good and robust research outfit. We also won a total of 10 research grant awards out of 22. The University of Ilorin is the first to attain such height in terms of research grants awards and among several other achievements and that has made the University of Ilorin truly the preferred choice".

Also with the Minister during the meeting were the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Folasade Yemisi Esan, among other top ministry officials.