UNILORIN Mech. Eng. Dept. driving national development, global Innovation– Ajimotokan
By Bashirat Omotosho
The Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ilorin, Prof. Habeeb Adewale Ajimotokan, has said that the Department has been making bold strides that are shaping Nigeria’s future in energy and technology.
Speaking last Tuesday (June 16, 2026) on UNILORIN 89.3 FM’s flagship current affairs programme ‘Oro to n lo’ anchored by the General Manager of the Station, Mr Idris Alooma, Prof. Ajimotokan said that the Department has consistently contributed to national development and global innovation.
He revealed that UNILORIN is one of the 12 universities selected by the Federal Government to compete for the 8-Seater Electric Campus Shuttle Bus by the National Automotive Design and Development Council, which also involves his Department.
Prof. Ajimotokan noted that students of his Department have also developed working solar power systems and other clean energy solutions that directly address real-world problems.
On academic excellence, Prof. Ajimotokan celebrated the Department’s back-to-back success in national competitions.
He said that in 2024, the Department won the national best project award in Extended Reality, a feat he personally supervised.
Prof. Ajimotokan also commended the University management under the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, for equipping the Department with modern tools and facilities.
He added that these resources empower both lecturers and students to deliver meaningful impact, locally and globally.
Drawing from his tenure as a former Director of Environment, he recalled advocating lawnmowers, ride-on movers and other technologies that revolutionised grass cutting and campus beautification-systems still in use today.
Prof. Ajimotokan advocated for more scholarships for indigent students so that they can access quality education like their peers. He also urged parents, government, youths, and all stakeholders to work in synergy, stressing that collective effort remains the key to moving Nigeria forward.
