The Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, has pledged his continued support to the Governing Council and Management of the University of Ilorin to ensure that the institution sustains its standard and status as the most sought-after University in Nigeria.
Dr. Ahmed made the pledge when he received members of the University Governing Council, led by its Chairman, Dr. Abdullah Jibril Oyekan, who visited him at the Government House, Ilorin, recently.
The Governor, who said that the people and government of Kwara State were very proud of the achievements of the University, said he was not surprised that Unilorin remains the most sought-after University in Nigeria.
While congratulating the Council for upholding the special values that have continued to make the institution the choice of the most admission seekers in the country, Dr. Ahmed also lauded the management for sustaining the zero tolerance for indiscipline and maintaining an enviable degree of academic excellence.
The Governor said, “Everything that comes from the University of Ilorin is always exciting. I am also happy to note that the University remains the most sought-after University in Nigeria. This does not just happen overnight. So, I congratulate members of the Governing Council for upholding that principle and guidance that is keeping the school in that enviable height”.
He added, “The management has strived at its own level to ensure that the sense of discipline is kept and of course it was also supported by an excellent academic environment, which makes it a school that stands out among the others.”
The Governor said, “At the state level, it is my own responsibility to ensure that the school continues to sustain its platform of being second to none and that takes us to what government can do in terms of infrastructure”.
Dr. Ahmed disclosed that the state government repaired the Tanke – Unilorin road to ensure that the University links up with the rest of the community, adding, “We are also moving forward to improve on the night light system as we are deploying one of the solar farm tunnel systems to the University road from the Tanke junction to the University gate”.
The Governor, further, pledged that whatever that needs to do to improve on the infrastructure in Tanke area would be the priority of his government.
Dr. Ahmed told the University Council, “I hope the University would continue to be the pride of the state and the country as a whole”.
The Governor used the opportunity of the visit to challenge institutions of higher learning in the country to place more emphasis on entrepreneurship education with a view to making students gainfully engaged after graduation.
He said, “It is important that universities across the country place more emphasis on entrepreneurship education in order to prepare students for life after school.”
According to Dr. Ahmed, “students should have a paradigm shift in their orientation of searching for while collar job that is now fading away. They should learn how to stand on their own and be job creators.”
The Governor also stressed the need “to strengthen the concept of career guide for students because there is so much knowledge gap among our teeming youths”.
Dr. Ahmed said that the state government would continue to provide the enabling environment through the creation of the avenues that will help entrepreneurship, adding that the International Vocational Training Centre (IVTC), Ajase-Ipo was set up in that direction.
Earlier in his remark, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University, Dr. Oyekan, said that the visit was to appreciate the Governor for keeping the promises he made to the University.
The Council Chairman said that apart from the renovation of the Tanke – Unilorin road, the extension of the MaigidaSoludero Mass Transit Scheme to the University route has to a very great extent relieved the hardship faced by the students.
Dr. Oyekan said, “When the Vice-Chancellor told me about fulfilling your promise to get the road to the University completely rehabilitated as well as the state government intervention on the transport scheme, I was marveled and overwhelmed with joy”.
He said, “The University community is very grateful and we are here to show our solidarity with your government because you have been living up to expectation as an alumnus of the University”.
With the Council Chairman on the visit were the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem; the representative of the Federal Ministry of Education, Barr (Mrs.) Blossom Onyeneke; Dr. Samuel Adedayo, OgbanEbockOgban, Muhammad Bashir Mustafa and Engr. Isah Bello.
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