Prof. Oba-Yusuf Abdul-Hamid, the Director, Centre for Ilorin Studies (CILS), the University of Ilorin, says the university has completed the construction of a gallery for the centre.

Abdul-Hamid said this on Wednesday in Ilorin, while speaking on the side-lines of the Public Presentation of the CILS 5th Book of Readings.

He attributed the success of the gallery construction to the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND), while commending Alhaji Idris Saidu, the former Director Finance and Administration at TETFUND, for his efforts.

He, however, observed the urgent need to furnish and commission research work in order to collect and collate historical materials and artefact to populate the gallery.

“If the gallery is well equipped as anticipated, it has great potential of generating revenue for the centre and the university,” he said.

The director of the centre also said with the completion of the gallery, the centre could now proceed on its plan of opening the “Ilorin Cuisine Restaurant” in the premises of the centre.

“When operational, the restaurant will sell Ilorin cuisines like ‘Okaa-Amala’ with any kind of soup that can go with it, Tuwo and Gbegiri soup, Eko’ Ogbona ati Kangu, Olele or Ojojo, Maasa and Wara, among others.’’

Abdul-Hamid added that the centre was in the process of preparing a number of curricular for the commencement of training in a number of courses to be offered.

“These include Certificate and Postgraduate Diplomas in Arabic Transcription, Cultural Tourism and Arabic Digital Literacy,” he said.