Let’s make UNILORIN the best, Egbewole urges staff
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has reiterated his determination to make the University the best in Nigeria, one of the ten frontline universities in Africa and among the 500 leading universities globally.
Prof. Egbewole, who urged the staff of the University to support the vision, stated this while addressing new staff members of the University at an orientation programme organised for them last Monday (January 22, 2024) at the University Auditorium.
The Vice Chancellor said that the University of Ilorin is known for the best global practices and that it will continue to remain so.
In his address, titled “UNILORIN OF OUR DREAM: IT’S UP TO US”, Prof. Egbewole said that the University is determined to achieve sustainable development, monumental achievements, adaptive capacity, rapid response to change, and team building.
He admonished the staff of the University to always attend to their duties diligently, be passionate about the University, maintain punctuality in all University programmes, avoid actions that could tarnish the University’s reputation, and actively champion the positive values that UNILORIN represents.
Prof. Egbewole mentioned the crucial role of the new staff in contributing to the realisation of the University’s vision, adding that the call to action resonates with the broader aspiration of fostering a culture of excellence, integrity, and global prominence within the UNILORIN community.
While explaining the values that underpin University of Ilorin’s mission statement, the Professor of Jurisprudence International Law said that the University’s vision and mission prioritise community, service learning, and research, requiring all, including administrators, to stay informed about evolving issues in their respective areas of work. He urged the entire staff to actively contribute to the development of these core values, emphasising the importance of excellence and integrity.
The Vice Chancellor warned against corruption, indolence, indiscipline, and other vices among the new and old staff of the University.
He explained that the University of Ilorin has zero tolerance for such negative behaviours, whether from staff or students, stating firmly that UNILORIN will not tolerate any compromises in this regard.
Meanwhile, the University Registrar, Mr Mansur Adeleke Alfanla, whose task was to familiarise the staff with the University policies and guidelines, implored them to familiarise themselves with the University’s policies and guidelines, particularly the conditions of service.
He urged new staff members to read the act that outlines misconduct, noting that, the strength of the institution lies in its organised structures and adherence to established protocols.
Announcing a streamlined communication system, Mr Alfanla directed that communication must flow from the staff to the designated officers through the heads of various units. He also said that email is the primary channel of communication in the University.
The Registrar, who described the staff as both assets and liabilities of the University, warned against travelling outside Ilorin without communicating such to the University management ahead.
He assured that as long as staff members abide by the established rules and regulations, they would enjoy their careers at the University.
Speaking on the University’s organogram, which is designed to achieve seamless communication among all officers of the University, a member of the Governing Council, Prof. Adegboyega Adisa Fawole, explained the importance of unity and character in fostering a thriving academic community, saying that all members of the institution are family members.
In another presentation, which centered on “University Culture and Ethics,” a former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Musbau Adewumi Akanji, explained the crucial role every staff member plays in realising the vision set forth by the University of Ilorin’s Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Akanji, drawing on his extensive 35-year experience with the University of Ilorin, stressed the significance of the culture instilled in him by the institution, disclosed that he continued to carry its values with him in subsequent engagements with other universities.
Prof. Akanji, who is also the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, explained the importance of time management, noting that among the institutions worldwide, universities, the judiciary, and the military hold time in high regard.
According to Prof. Akanji, “In a country with 262 universities, only a handful, including the University of Ilorin, are recognised for their time consciousness. This is because a key element of UNILORIN’s unique culture is time management. At this university, time is considered godliness, and adherence to this principle is crucial for the success of the institution”.
Earlier in his welcome address, the acting Director, The Centre for Research, Development and In-house Training (CREDIT), Dr Abdulkarim Oloyede, said the overarching goal set by the visionary Vice-Chancellor, which focuses at making the University of Ilorin to become the number one university in Nigeria, among the top ten in Africa, and one of the top 500 globally, is a call to excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement in all facets of the institution’s academic and research endeavours driven by technology.
He said that the training programme was designed to align with the 1:10:500 agenda of the Vice Chancellor to expose the new staff to a comprehensive overview of the University’s structure, policies, and culture.
The Director of CREDIT expressed gratitude to the Vice Chancellor for entrusting him with the responsibility of organising the two-day training programme for the new staff, saying that the ‘‘support and encouragement are pivotal, and we are grateful for your commitment to the growth and success of our University’’.