The Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Pro. Wahab Egbewole, on Friday in Ilorin appealed to the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on education.
Egbewole made the call at the 37th and 38th Convocation Ceremonies and Lecture organised by the university.
According to him, the education sector in the country, particularly, higher education, has suffered avoidable setbacks in the recent past leading to a brain drain.
“Our institutions need more hands to deliver on its mandates and funds for serious academic works, research and collaborations for desired outputs.
“We wish to assure Mr President that we will not rest on our oars for advancement and cutting-edge research 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 graduates to critically think outside the box, be open-minded and collaborate with others to find solutions to 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 to become 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 universities in the country for the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME),” he said.
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 the year 2023 to cover 11 specific areas.
He further explained that the university received a TETFund award of ₦500 million for 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 the 2021/2022 academic session and currently has a total of 36 patents with the Federal Government.
Egbewole added that the achievements of the students serve as a testament to the quality of education and opportunities that our institution provides.
“In the spirit of fostering an environment of learning, innovation and growth, our students have excelled in a myriad of fields, setting a standard of excellence,” he added.
He stated that a total of 14,477 students will be convoking for the 37th convocation.
“In the First Degree/Diploma category, we have 211 First Class, 4,143 Second Class (Upper Division), 6,570 Second Class (Lower Division), 1,742 Third Class and 30 Pass.”
Earlier in his convocation lecture, Prof. Toyin Falola of the Department of History, University of Texas, Austin in the United States of America, emphasised the importance of values in the face of rapid modernisation.
He underscored the need to preserve the nation’s core ethical and moral principles while adapting to the changing world and institution.
“Don’t throw away value for modernisation without value leadership will not work, everything we talk about reflects value.
“We must be very careful on what we copy, we should be careful of what we take,” he added
Falola stressed the need to respect elders and need to create new discipline institutions that will take care of the need of challenges.
He also urged the graduates and students not to ruin their names, and the names of their parents and institution and to be good ambassadors of the institution.
“Give back to your parents, your alma mata,” he advised the students.