Ninety-seven students have been expelled from the University of Ibadan, UI, for failure to obtain the minimum academic requirements at the end of 2014/15 session. A special bulletin released yesterday by the institution and signed by its Registrar, Mr. Olujimi Olukoya, said the students, who are from seven faculties in the university, are at various levels of educational pursuit, including those in final year. The release stated that some of the students had their studentships lapsed while three voluntarily withdrew from the institution.
The release reads: “Senate at its meeting of Monday, January 1, 2016, approved that the candidates whose names appear on this list should withdraw from the university over their failure to obtain the minimum academic requirements at the end of 2014/2015 session.” In another development, the National Universities Commission, NUC, has ranked the university first in its latest 2015 ranking.
In the ranking made available yesterday, the top five positions were dominated by first generation universities, with the University of Lagos coming second; University of Benin, third; Obafemi Awolowo University, fourth and Ahmadu Bello University occupying the fifth position, respectively. While reacting to the latest ranking, Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka, said the university was thinking more about its ranking among the top five universities in Africa in the next few years.
He said the nation’s premier university is positioned to achieve the feat owing to its highly developed postgraduate school with the largest number of masters and doctoral students in sub- Saharan Africa. He said: “Being No. 1 in Nigeria and No. 1 in West Africa should not be taken for granted. The real challenge is for us to be ranked among the top five in Africa in the next few years. This is do-able given the pedigree of Ibadan over the last 68 years.
“As we speak, we have perhaps the most highly developed postgraduate school, with easily the largest number of masters and doctoral students in sub-Saharan Africa. The UI School of Business has been approved by the NUC, and it is set to take off soon with its flagship MBA programme, which used to be run by our Department of Economics. “The UI Research Foundation, UIRF, set up by the immediate past vice chancellor, Prof Isaac Folorunso Adewole, FAS, to reposition research activities in this institution, is perhaps the first of its type in Africa.
“The board of the UIRF is chaired by Rt. Hon. Uduimo Itsueli, a distinguished alumnus and chairman/chief executive officer of Dubril Oil, who has committed nearly N100m of his personal funds toward the construction of a befitting edifice to house the UIRF at the Ajobode Extension. The complex will be opened in the coming weeks. All hands must be on deck.”
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