UNILORIN reaffirms commitment to clean, healthy environment
By Isaac Lewu
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has reaffirmed the commitment of the University to maintain a clean, safe, and healthy environment that would enhance effective teaching, learning and research.
Prof. Egbewole, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services), Prof. Olalere Adeyemi, gave this assurance last Thursday (June 18, 2026) during an environmental assessment tour of the University by the Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA) where he highlighted the the sustained efforts of the University towards environmental sanitation, infrastructure maintenance and students’ welfare.
The Vice Chancellor noted that the University remains one of the few institutions in Nigeria that places high premium on environmental cleanliness, stressing that visitors are often impressed by the neat and serene atmosphere from the main gate into the campus.
Prof. Egbewole, who is also a member of the Nigerian Body of Benchers, explained that the University has established structures and committees responsible for ensuring regular sanitation, proper waste management and maintenance of facilities. He added that adequate ventilation and spacious learning environments have also been prioritised across the campus.
Prof. Egbewole also said that students and staff members of the University enjoy access to reliable water supply through the University’s dam, while hostel facilities have continued to receive significant upgrades to improve comfort and living conditions for residents.
The legal luminary commended the KWEPA officials for their observations and recommendations, assuring them that the University would continue to strengthen its environmental management strategies and uphold the highest standards of cleanliness.
Speaking earlier, the General Manager of KWEPA, Mr Jide Aina, called for stronger collaboration between the Agency and the University of Ilorin to enhance environmental protection and public health standards within the University community.
Mr Aina also expressed concern over the absence of regular feedback and environmental compliance reports from the institution despite the Agency’s longstanding engagements with tertiary institutions across the State.
He noted that KWEPA had consistently enjoyed cordial relationships with the University and had not received major complaints regarding environmental issues on campus.
He stressed the need for closer cooperation, particularly in areas such as fumigation of hostels, food safety compliance, health certification for food handlers, and environmental monitoring, especially in view of emerging public health concerns, including the threat of disease outbreaks in parts of Africa.
In his remarks, the Director of Health Services, University of Ilorin, Dr Rasheed Odunola, said that the University has continued to prioritise environmental sanitation, students’ welfare and disease prevention through coordinated institutional mechanisms.
He explained that the University’s Committee on Environment, chaired by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services) regularly oversees environmental health matters to ensure that the campus remains safe, clean and conducive for learning and research.
On disease prevention, the Director said that the University maintains a proactive health surveillance system and promptly sensitises members of the community on emerging health concerns.
He also noted that the University had strengthened its waste management system with the acquisition of an additional compactor truck to enhance refuse collection and disposal across the campus.
Also present at the event were the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Moji Taibat Bakare-Odunola; the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research Technology and Innovation), Prof. Muhtar Adeiza Etudaiye; the Registrar, Mr Mansur Adeleke Alfanla, and the Deputy Registrar, Vice Chancellor’s Office, Mrs Azeezat Q. Ibrahim, among several others.
