Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Kwara State, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole (SAN), has announced that plan is underway to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with some embassies especially Republic of China on the possibility of constructing rail line to the main campus of the institution.
The development, according to THISDAY checks, might not be unconnected with the ongoing transportation crisis being experienced by the students of the institution following the ongoing construction of Flyover along Tanke area of Ilorin.
The situation has led many students to find it difficult to get to the campus on time for their academic pursuits.
This, however, prompted the management of the institution to embark on virtual lectures for the teeming students of the university.
However, speaking with journalists in Ilorin yesterday on the sideline of his 100 days in office, the legal luminary said that the move was to reduce the problem of transportation being experienced by the students of the institution.
He said that “the institution with students between 60,000 and 70,000 population, getting such MoU achieved would assist the academic excellence of the students.”
Egbewole added that “there is ongoing move now to solve transportation system of the University of Ilorin.
“We have embarked on Memorandum of Understanding with embassies in Nigeria, especially the Republic of China to help us do the rail system into the campus of the university so as to reduce the problem of transportation problem.”
On the journey so far, Egbewole said that “within the past 109 days, many great things have happened for which one can only be grateful to God.
“The excellence of our staff has impacted on the university and the excellence of the university has also impacted on the staff.
“The elevation of 31 new professors and 38 readers in various departments has brought joy to many families and reassured the staff that hard work pays.
“Besides, that 11 academic staff of the university were announced within the period as among the top 500 authors by the internationally acclaimed Elsevier is an indication of the standard that the university has.”
He also said that “the University of Ilorin has also lived to its bidding as one of the most prolific producers of vice chancellors in Nigeria.
“While the university is known to have produced pioneer vice chancellors of many universities, it has also been recording vice chancellors and heads of tertiary institutions in recent years.
“Within the past days of my tenure, in addition to those already on ground, the university has produced the Vice Chancellors of Fountain University, Osogbo, and Crown-Hill University, Ilorin, in persons of Prof. Ramota Karim and Prof. Jeleel Ojuade.”
