Unilorin declared Most Outstanding Nigerian Varsity

BY DAMILOLA ADENIYI
THE University of Ilorin has been awarded the Outstanding Federal University in Nigeria 2009. It is the only public university to be so recognised, and it is winning the award for the second time, having won it last year.
Presenting the award on behalf of the Nigerian Education Times at Airport Hotel, Lagos recently, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin and co-chairman of the occasion, Prof. Grace Alele Williams, described the school as a leading Nigerian university, which has etched its mark on the education scene.
She especially congratulated the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Is-haq O. Oloyede, noting that the school has distinguished itself.
Alele-Williams emphasised the importance of the institution’s motto “character and learning” and charged all stakeholders to continue to promote and advance education. “With education, each of us is adding a new block to the building of character,” she said.
Speaking earlier on the occasion, former Minister of Education, Prof. Babs Fafunwa, decried the lax attitude of teachers to work and urged for passion and commitment among university dons, saying, “we are here today because our own teachers were committed and passionate.”
According to the renowned educationist, there is a difference between making a statement by complaining and wrecking a place. He said he has high regards for Ilorin varsity staff, but added that they have to make restitution to the sacked 44 lecturers.
In his lecture titled “Global Education: The Challenge for Nigeria,” Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Segun Awonusi, described global education as “an active learning process, which consists of three components at a time: knowledge, values and skills.”
According to the commissioner, who is a professor of English at the University of Lagos, the concept of global education comprises development education, human rights education, education for sustainability, education for peace and conflict prevention and intercultural education. He described globalization as a collective phenomenon, citing a source that conceives it as “built in Spain, owned by a Norwegian, registered in Cyprus, chartered by the French, crewed by Russians: flying a Liberian flag, carrying an American cargo and pouring oil into the Welsh coast.”
The way forward for education in Nigeria, Awonusi submitted, lies in greater allocation of resources, maintaining sanctity of agreements, enhancing linkages, development partner funding and local Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) without losing education needs and streamlining curricular. Programmes to align with social and industrial needs, enhancing “character” and “learning” inputs in our educational system as well as disciplining excellence in tertiary institutions.
In his goodwill message entitled “Right on Target,” Oloyede, represented by Mahfouz Adedimeji, noted that the saying that a prophet is not recognised at home has been belied by the occasion, which celebrated distinguished Nigerians and institutions. He observed that the award was right on target because the university in November last year was crowned “African University of the year”.
According to the VC, “we have over the past few years decided to stand out and it is gratifying that it is now well acknowledged to be outstanding.”





Students mark World AIDS Day
BY OLADIPUPO ABRAHAM
EVER imagined that HIV/AIDS could talk? So, it turned out to be, as students trooped out to mark the World AIDS Day at the University of Ibadan with a drama titled Grave Encounter.
As the world came together on Tuesday, December 1, to commemorate the day, students were not left behind in the campaign against the deadly virus.
Worldwide Integrity Theatre Troupe, which comprises, most of Distance Learning students of the department of Theatre Arts of the university, took to the stage to x-ray the causes, preventive method and way out of managing the deadly virus. The play was written by Solomon Iguanre.
Students from The Polytechnic, Ibadan; International School, Ibadan (ISI); and students from various primary and secondary schools watched the performance. They were treated to memorable scenes from stage actors such as Isaac Israel (AIDS), Festus Odetome (Bello), Alfred Olusola Somefun (Kilo), Ogundiji Olorunfemi (Randy), Agbosu Delali Tina (Iya Oniru) and Abegunde Samuel (Sanni) among others.
Dr. Oladije Rasak gave a lecture on HIV/AIDS.
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Management dedicates Caleb University permanent sit
BY MARY AKPARANTA
IT was a time of fervent prayers to God as the management of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, dedicated the permanent site recently in the presence of parents, students and friends of the university.
The dedication programme held at the expansive permanent site in Imota, about 15km from Ikorodu town had the prayer minister and overseer of Happy Home Revival Ministry from Gbogan Town in Osun State, Pastor Niyi Makanjuola, leading participants in soul-stirring prayers of praise, thanksgiving and dedication.
The programme also had other notable ministers from far and near such as Pastor Amos Ifedayo and Pastor Oluwi, both of the Deeper Life Bible Church, offering prayers for the all-round progress of the university, which moved to its permanent site on Monday, November 23, 2009.
According to the proprietor of the university, Prince Ola Adebogun, the dedication service was conceived with the purpose of giving glory to God and handing affairs of the institution to God in line with the university’s vision of raising a generation of students imbued with the fear of God and who are sound academically.
In his own contribution at the event, Prof. Fola Tayo, a member of the Governing Council, said the university was poised to showcase what academics, richly spiced with godly values should be, “as such, Caleb University would be a reference point in quality private education.”
Eminent personalities who graced the occasion included Dr. Teju Bolujoko, Mr. Olusoga Badejo and Mrs. Rebecca Olumeru, all members of the university’s Board of Trustees. The Governing Council of the University was also very well represented with Prof. Fola Tayo, Pastor Ezekiel Adeleye and Hon. Dorcas Odujirin-Junaid in attendance.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Timothy Tayo, led other principal officers of the university such as Registrar and Secretary to Council, Prince Bola Taiwo; Principal Librarian, Mr. J.I Adeyomoye, and Chief Accountant, Mr. Adesina Abubakre, to the occasion.
The dedication service completes the series of programmes outlined for the movement of the university to the permanent site. With this development, the management has fulfilled the promise made at the commencement of full academic activities in January 2008 that resumption for the 2009/2010 academic session would be at the permanent site.
Facilities at the permanent site include separate modern and spacious hostel complex for male and female students, administrative buildings, a multi-purpose auditorium, adequate lecture rooms, staff housing, sports complex, laboratories, cafeteria and campus-wide wireless network internet access. The university is effectively serviced with electricity from the national grid complemented by alternate power supply from two giant generators.