By Abubakar Imam
The Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Prof. Lasiele Alabi Yahaya, has expressed the readiness of the management, staff and students of the Faculty to play active roles in the upcoming 50th anniversary celebration of the nation’s most sought-after University.
Prof. Yahaya stated this last Monday (May 12, 2025) while speaking with UNILORIN Bulletin in his office.
The Dean said that the Faculty, which was one of the founding Faculties and the largest Faculty in the University, has every reason to play a frontline role in the celebration.
Prof. Yahaya, who is a former Director of the Institute of Education, University of Ilorin, said that the history of the University cannot be complete without adequate mention of the contributions of generations of staff and students of the Faculty.
He recalled that the Faculty had always attracted the highest number of students to the University over the years, saying that apart from regular students who come from all over Nigeria, the Faculty has also attracted an innumerable number of students through the annual sandwich programme of the Institute of Education.
Prof. Yahaya, who is also a former Director of the University’s Centre for Counseling and Human Development, said that in terms of revenue generation for the University his Faculty has also been consistently leading others.
While describing the Faculty as the mother of all Faculties, the Dean said that many academic staff of the University have attended educational programmes at the Faculty through which they were trained to become good, effective and professional teachers.
Prof. Yahaya equally noted that the impacts of students of the Faculty on the development of the University’s host state cannot be overemphasised. He said that apart from the fact that the Faculty had produced many of those who served as Chief Executives of the Colleges of Education and similar institutions Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries in the state, he added that the Faculty has also always assisted in bridging the manpower gaps in primary and secondary schools in the state, particularly in the course of their teaching practice.
The Dean also recalled that his Faculty also produced the staff of the University, Prof. Claudius Omoleye Daramola, who served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in Nigeria and member of the Federal Executive Council between 2015 and 2019.
Prof. Yahaya also added that his Faculty also produced the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the Kwara State University, Malete, Prof. AbdulRasheed Na’Allah; the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the newly established Kwara State University of Education, Ilorin, Prof. Medinat Folorunso Salman; the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University of Offa, Prof. Raheem Adebayo Lawal; as well as the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Ghana, Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson.
He also noted that a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, who is also the current Registrar and Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is’haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, CON; and Prof. Mahfouz. Adebola Adedimeji, the Vice Chancellor, African School of Economics, Abuja; are distinguished products of the Faculty.
The Dean added that apart from the Vice Chancellors, the Faculty has also produced at least three former Deputy Vice Chancellors for the University of Ilorin such as Prof. Raheem Adebayo Lawal and Prof. Nike Yetunde Sidikat Ijaiya, who served as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) at various times and Prof. Adedayo Yusuf Abdulkareem, who was once the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services).
He also said that the Faculty has produced leading traditional rulers including the pioneer Dean of the Faculty, Late Prof. John Abiri, who was the Obapero of Abiri; Ile-ife, Osun State, and Prof. Stephen Billy Olajide, the Olola of Olla in Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State, among others.
Another outstanding product of the Faculty, according to the Dean, is Dr Uthman AbdulRahman Ajidagba, who initially headed the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) before his appointment as the Resident Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nassarawa State.
Prof. Yahaya said that with these contributions and several others the Faculty would surely rollout the drums to celebrate the anniversary as he said that his office has started mobilising its alumni for full participation.
He also recalled that the Faculty has produced many sports men and women who have won laurels for the University, Kwara State and Nigeria over the years. On the preparedness of the current students of the Faculty for the anniversary, Prof. Yahaya said that lecturers in each of the Departments in the Faculty would be encouraged to assist in spreading the message in the course of their lectures to ensure maximum mobilisation.
He also explained that his Faculty has produced many sports men and women who have won laurels for the University, Kwara State and Nigeria over the years.
Prof. Yahaya congratulated the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, on being in charge of the University at this point in time, saying that he really deserves the privilege.
He added that he was happy because everything that would be done before and during the celebration will speak volumes about the hard-work and vision of the renowned legal luminary who has been working assiduously towards ensuring that the University becomes the first in Nigeria, one of the best ten in Africa and among the leading 500 universities at the global level.
