The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (Unilorin), Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN
says the institution is engaging with Chinese embassy and other embassies to provide metro railway to solve the institution’s transportation problem.
Egbewole disclosed this during his Maiden Media Parley held at the institution’s auditorium in Ilorin Kwara State recently.
The Vice-Chancellor who explained that thousands of staff and students of the university are commuting to and fro, adding that the transportation of such large numbers can be challenging added that the metro railway system will be specifically designed to run in the institution and the other metropolitan city.
According to him, exploring the plan for possible railway metro transportation had been in the process for years, and that Unilorin is also working on getting electric buses to address the university’s transportation problem.
Egbewole believed that this is a market that can be tapped, and that with this development, it will ease the movement of students and staff to the university environment.
The vice chancellor who was appointed 109 days ago as the 11th VC of Unilorin, disclosed that N500 million was released to the institution by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund) for the construction of hostels for the students.
He explained that the Memorandum of Understanding was signed with some foreign universities to further improve learning and research in the institution.
While promising to turn the institution to a Smart University, the vice chancellor noted that Unilorin is partnering with industries on turning academic researches to industrial use.
“We are remodeling the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to ensure ventures are run like business.
“We will ensure that the IGR are properly managed by blocking all loopholes,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor said that students of the school will be allowed to vote in the 2023 general elections without any need for the school to be on holiday.
According to him, the institution has made innovations with virtual learning which takes care of transportation challenge among others.
” Our team is prepared to ensure Revenue Generation drive through strategic repositioning of the IGR Units and Engagements of MDAs for synergy, support and collaboration.”
Egbewole noted that he was not prepared for an easy fix for our decayed infrastructure, dying university culture, abandoned academic traditions, intergenerational disconnect among staff and palpable feeling of disenchantment arising from a long and punitive strike.
“Doing so would make me wear a hypocritical tag of a man who wanted to build a castle in the air. I am also not mistaken about my inability to do it alone. That is why right from the start, I identified
the imperative of teamwork, stressing that Together, Everyone Achieves More.
“At the University of Ilorin it is work in progress, not a mission accomplished, I am certain that we shall continue to build magnificently on the solid foundation laid by our founding fathers,” he said.
He said with four months as VC, some modest achievements have been made by his great team, which include MoU signed with Tunil University in Italy; Another MoU is being consummated with the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Egbewole also listed Kwara Eight Universities (KU8) established to create Synergy in University Education in Kwara State and another MoU with Summit University, Offa.
“N75M award by JAMB paid for tarring GRA Quarters Road; Reactivation of active participation in WARIMA and AWAU.
“The Vice Chancellor is now the Secretary General of AWAU, with the University of Ilorin regaining global visibility.
“Training by CODL, organised by Commonwealth of Learning, Canada; TETFund award of ₦500M hostel accommodation for our students; TETFund award of N200M zonal intervention; Renewed motivation of staff and students; Proactive engagements with all the unions on Campus; Composition of 11 strategic committees on security, investment and revenue generation, ranking, environmental issues, transportation and so on.
“The reports of the committees have been submitted and implementation will soon commence any moment from now
“Grant of N400M broadband by Ministry of Communication and Re-engagement with the Association of Commonwealth Universities” he said
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