The Vice Chancellor of University Ilorin, Pro. Wahab Egbewole, on Friday in Ilorin appealed to the Federal Government to declare state of emergency on education.
Mr Egbewole made the call at the 37th and 38th Convocation Ceremonies and Lecture organised by the university.
According to him, education sector in the country, particularly, higher education, has suffered avoidable setbacks in the recent past leading to brain drain.
“Our institutions need more hands to deliver on its mandates and funds for serious academic works, researches and collaborations for desired outputs.
“We wish to assure Mr President that we will not rest on our oars for advancement and cutting-edge researches aimed at development and community engagement.
“We are on the cusp of a new era, one filled with opportunities and challenges that will shape the future of education and our society,” he said.
He stated that the institution was well prepared to face these challenges, “and I have every confidence in the potential of our graduates to make a positive impact in their respective fields”.
The vice chancellor added that the institution would continue the legacy of academic excellence and prepare our students to be the leaders, innovators, and problem solvers of tomorrow.
He however urged the graduands to critically think outside the box, be open-minded and collaborate with others to find solutions to the complex issues.
“Your education at the University of Ilorin has prepared you for this, and I have no doubt that you will rise to the challenges,” he said.
He urged parents and guardians to continue to be the pillars of strength and encouragement to their children
“I am proud to announce that our university has achieved remarkable milestones in terms of ranking, both nationally and internationally.
“This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students. In a demonstration of our strong determination of becoming the best in Nigeria.
“Our university has moved up the ranking ladder of leading ivory towers in Nigeria and for the 10th consecutive year, we again topped the list of most sought after university in the country for the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME),” he said.
Mr Egbewole stated that Unilorin continued to enjoy the support of TETFUND as an intervention fund of ₦954,732,123.00 was allocated to the university by TETFUND for year 2023 to cover 11 specific areas.
He further explained that the university received TETFund award of ₦500 million hostel accommodation for students and ₦200 million for zonal interventions.
The vice chancellor said the institution is using the funds to execute different projects, adding that research and innovation are the lifeblood of the institution.
He also disclosed that the university produced four patents in 2021/2022 academic session and currently has a total of 36 patents with the Federal Government.
NAN
