Campus News

We eagerly await UNILORIN @ 50 celebrations, says Amuda-Yusuf

By Abubakar Imam

Despite being the youngest of the 16 Faculties in the University, the Faculty of Environmental Sciences has indicated its preparedness to play a leading role in the upcoming 50th anniversary celebration of the nation’s most sought-after University, the University of Ilorin.

            This assurance was given by the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Ganiyu Amuda-Yusuf, in a chat with UNILORIN Bulletin in his office last Monday (June 23, 2025).

The don, who is a distinguished Quantity Surveyor, said that his Faculty was established in 2012 by the Administration of Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede with the vision of producing high quality manpower for the nation’s construction industry. He said that the Faculty eagerly awaits the monumental events scheduled to mark the anniversary.

Prof. Amuda-Yusuf said that staff and students of the Faculty are fully mobilised for maximum participation, adding that the Faculty has started reflecting the spirit of the anniversary in all its official communications.

            The Dean also said that a roll-up banner advertising the event is also being conspicuously displayed in strategic locations, particularly at the main entrance to the Faculty Complex for the awareness of staff and students as well as visitors.

            He explained that the Faculty consists of five Departments namely, Architecture, Estate Management, Quantity Surveying, Surveying and Geoinformatics, and Urban and Regional Planning.

            The Dean noted that his Faculty, through its Department of Architecture, has been playing a critical role towards the success of the upcoming celebration as the Department was involved in the Architectural Design Proposition of an Iconic Central Innovation and Transcript Hub to celebrate the University on its 50th year of existence, design of Central Motor Park for the University, Architectural Design of an 8-seater Electric Campus Shuttle Bus National Competition (in collaboration with the Engineering Faculty of the University) – a competition involving 12 selected Nigerian Universities, among others.

            Prof. Amuda-Yusuf said that other members of his Faculty have also been playing one role or the other towards repositioning the University for better service delivery. He cited the efforts of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in validating and digitisation of the University’s Comprehensive Development Plan (Master Plan). The Master Plan is a dynamic, long-term planning document that provides a conceptual layout to guide the University’s future growth and development over the next 20 years. It gives spatial expression to academic and non-academic activities on the University campus.

             He said that the plan addresses issues such as: housing (for both staff and students); transportation, electricity, water supply, waste management, expansion of teaching and research facilities, commercial activities, industrial development, technological hub, agriculture, recreational activities, comprehensive landscaping of the University, green and open space management, religious activities and other socio-cultural undertakings within the University. This giant stride resulting from the visionary leadership of the Vice Chancellor, according to the Dean, will make the University visible in the global academic landscape.

As part of its contributions towards the internationalisation of the University and in line with its Vision 1:10:500, Prof. Amuda-Yusuf said that the Faculty has commenced collaborative initiatives with two foreign universities, Universiti Teknologi, Johor, Malaysia; and Talin University of Technology, Estonia. The Dean disclosed that the initiative would be strengthened with the 3rd International Conference on Environmental Sciences (ICES 2025) to be hosted by the University of Ilorin in collaboration with Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia.

            Speaking on the staff of the Faculty, Prof. Amuda-Yusuf said that the Faculty has 36 well trained, highly competent and resourceful professionals whose service delivery is second to none. The Dean said that as a confirmation of the quality obtainable in the staff members of the Faculty, many of them have either held or are holding sensitive and senior positions in their respective professional bodies, particularly, Dr Taibat R. Adebiyi, who is the Chairman of the Kwara State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) and a former Ag. Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Abdulateef Iyanda Bako, who was invited to establish the Faculty of Environmental Sciences at the University of Abuja.

            Prof. Amuda-Yusuf, who is also the first substantive Dean of the Faculty, paid glowing tributes to all those who headed the Faculty at one time or the other for their contributions. He explained that the Faculty has produced no fewer than 1,200 graduates, pointing out that reports from the industry show that most of the alumni are doing very well in their respective fields of practice.

            The Dean disclosed that professional bodies often celebrate the performance of alumni of the Faculty, saying that many of them often pass their tests and secure professional qualifications at one sitting. He said that this performance rate attest to the enviable quality of training acquired from the Faculty.

            He also expressed his appreciation to the pioneer Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Nurain Bolanle Tanimoowo, for the sacrifice of spearheading the establishment of the Faculty.

            The Dean also thanked the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, for his special interest in the growth of the Faculty. He also thanked the renowned Professor of Jurisprudence and International Law for the ongoing construction of a Lecture Theatre at the Faculty.

 Prof. Amuda-Yusuf, who expressed optimism that the project would be completed and delivered on schedule, also called for the construction of the outstanding Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning Departments so that the Faculty would match up with others.