Campus News

Why Physical Sciences Faculty leads – Alafara

By Abubakar Imam

The immediate past Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdullahi Alafara Baba, has said that the rising profile of the Faculty is informed by the hard work, loyalty and cooperation of its academic and non-teaching staff.

Prof. Alafara, who made this assertion last Tuesday (July 29, 2025) during the Faculty Board meeting, explained that all that were achieved during his tenure was made possible through the unflinching loyalty and cooperation he enjoyed from the Faculty members.

The don recalled that the Faculty, with its full embrace of the fascinating Vision 1:10:500 of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, emerged as the Best Faculty of the Year as he also received the 2024 award of Innovator of the Year from the authorities of the University last year.

            Prof. Alafara further recalled that his Faculty also produced the Best Graduating Student of the University in the 2022/2023 academic session.

            Other landmark achievements of the Faculty, according to Prof. Alafara include the enlistment of a graduating student of the Faculty, Mr Sanusi Akanbi Kazeem from the Department of Mathematics, in the Guinness World Book of Records for conducting the longest Mathematics  lesson in history. A  200 Level student of the same Department of Mathematics, Mr Yusuf Abdulsamad Olaitan, also won the 2025 NITDA Award at the National Cyber Security Conference with a cash prize of N2.5 million naira recently.

            The Professor of Analytical/Industrial and Materials Chemistry recalled that the Faculty under his leadership also completed an industrial borehole water project earlier in the year, which he said is not only being enjoyed by staff and students of the Faculty but also by other members of the University community.

            While saying that the Faculty has the potential to do much better than it is currently doing, Prof. Alafara appealed to his colleagues to cooperate fully with his successor, Prof. Olabisi Adeleye Adekeye of the Department of Geology and Mineral Sciences for the Faculty to remain the best among its peers.

            The highlights of the meeting were the consideration of the 2024/2025 B.Sc.

results and presentation of awards to outstanding members of the Faculty for their various contributions in the year under review.

            Those honoured included the Head of the Department of Chemistry, Prof. Modinah O. A. Abdul Raheem; the Head of the Department of Mathematics, Prof. Amos S. Idowu; and the Ag. Head of the Department of Geology and Mineral Sciences, Dr Mumeen A. Yusuf, who were honoured for being outstanding Heads of Department in Research and Infrastructure, Academic Qualities and Administrative Qualities, respectively.

            Others honoured were Prof. S. O. Owalude and Dr. S. E. Elaigwu, both of the Department of Chemistry and Dr V. O. Adimula of the Department of Industrial Chemistry and Dr I. K. Ayinla, also of the Department of Industrial Chemistry as Outstanding Researcher in the professorial, Senior Lecturer, Lecturer I and below cadres, respectively.

            The Faculty also honoured Prof. Saminu Olatunji of the Department of Geophysics, Dr Mumeen A. Yusuf of the Department of Geology and Mineral Sciences, Dr. H. O. Abubakar of the Department of Geophysics; and Dr K. O. Olojoku of the Department of Geology and Mineral Sciences, for their exemplary services as members of the Industrial Borehole Committee.

            The event was attended by members of the Faculty including its pioneer Dean, Prof. B. L. Adeleke and Prof. U. B. Eke; Prof. F. A. Adekola and  Prof. K. J. Oyewumi, who are former Deans of the Faculty. Also in attendance were the Heads of Departments in the Faculty and a former Director of Academic Planning, Prof. Isaac Abiodun Adimula, who previously served as a Dean of the Faculty, among others.