UNILORIN COBES students, Faculty support host communities
About 470 Community-Based Experience and Service (COBES) students of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, have supported their host communities with farming, health and teaching materials. The communities spread across four local government areas in Kwara State.
The items, consisting of farm sprays, community signposts, medical equipment, and teaching and lesson aides, among others, were described as ways of giving back to their host for the caring opportunities the students enjoyed.
The communities are located in Ilorin East, Asa, Ifelodun and Irepodun local government areas. The first two are in Kwara Central Senatorial District while the other two are in Kwara South Senatorial District,.
Speaking at the various benefiting communities, the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Adebisi Fawole, appreciated members of the communities for hosting the students as she also commended the students for adapting to the environments.
The Dean, who further encouraged them to cultivate the habit of observing everywhere they find themselves, added that the programme would facilitate the development of the communities.
“On behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, let me appreciate the communities for receiving the students wholeheartedly and for making them secure. You are encouraged to always give respect to elders, learn some culture training, and make the best use of the opportunity”, she said.
While comparing her experience to what the students had gone through in the communities, Prof. Fawole disclosed that the students should know that they are lucky in their various preferred environments.
“We are glad to bring you to a place where farming is being done, you can ask the farmers question(s), and contribute through what you have learned in class. For the privilege given to us in these areas, we are very happy and we thank you”, she said.
In their various remarks, the group leaders across the communities, disclosed that they observed major problems faced by the communities as electricity, health care, language barriers, and transportation.
She added that they were able to organise career talks to sensitise the members of the communities, especially youths on the need for them to go further in their education.
While sharing their experiences, the group leaders of Ile-Apa and Lajiki observed that the communities do not value education as most of them engaged in farming and commercial motorcycle business in the city.
They also disclosed that aside from borehole water drilled for the Ile-Apa community by a good samaritan, which attracted immigrant farmers to stay, the community lacked electricity, and therefore called for support in that area.
In his remarks, the UNILORIN Faculty of Agriculture COBES Coordinator, Dr Lateef Lawal Adefalu, thanked the students for making the Faculty and, by extension, the University proud. He also urged them to keep to all the rules guiding the services.
Other members of the Faculty team were Dr F. Takim, a former Director, UISR; Dr O. Ahmed, the Head, Department of Crop Protection; Dr T.H. Aliyu, Dr Adesikemi Awoyemi, Dr S.O. Akanbi, Dr. Tawakalitu Dolapo, Dr Ajoke Kayode, Dr A.K. Daudu, Dr O. Ahmed, Dr O.W. Kareem, Dr Eunice Sola-Ojo, and Dr Kevin Efedieyi.