The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has announced that it would this week graduate a total of 6,710 students with 69 bagging First Class degree.

Vice-Chancellor of the Institution, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, disclosed this yesterday at a press briefing organised as part of activities marking the 31st Convocation and 40th anniversary Ceremonies of the university.

Prof. Ambali stated that of the 6,710 graduating students, 5,454 will obtain a first degree; 1,225 are higher degree graduands while the remaining 31 are Diploma graduands. He said that in the postgraduate category, 165 would be conferred with Postgraduate Diplomas, 781 Academic Masters; 154 Professional Masters Degrees and 125 PhDs in various disciplines for the 2014/2015 academic session.

The Vice-Chancellor, who recently clocked his third year in office, expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah for sustaining the university and maintaining its gradual ascension to the top over the past forty years.

Commenting on the milestone attained by the institution, Prof. Ambali said: “Over the past 40 years, the university has succeeded in carving a niche for itself in academic excellence, peace and stability. It has also become the flag-bearer of Nigerian universities.”

The UNILORIN helmsman who noted that the “tnstitution has the most peaceful and stable campus with the highest number of faculties in the country.” He observed that “the university has distinguished itself in terms of being the one with the largest landmass, largest plantations of economic trees, and best physical environment in Nigeria.”

Prof. Ambali further said that UNILORIN has the highest number of international staff and students, was the first in Nigeria to be ranked among the best 20 in the African continent, and was also the first to introduce the Computer-Based Testing for screening and producing the highest number of doctoral graduands in Nigeria.

“Since we accord priority to character, the university was also awarded a National Certificate of Credence by the Centre for Ethics and Self-Value Orientation having scored a cumulative score of 87percent to beat other universities in an independent study; in March this year, five research proposals from the University were deemed grant-winning by the National Research Council of TETFUND out of the 16 so considered for the whole country,” he disclosed.

According to Prof. Ambali, “Without the support of the Federal Government and the stakeholders, the university that started with a total student population of 200 40 years ago would not have increased in quality and quantum to 46, 346 today in 2015.”

He disclosed that 22 projects would be commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the Visitor to the University, on the Founders Day, Friday, October 23, 2015.

The projects to be commissioned include the Faculty of Arts (4-storey) Complex; Building for Entrepreneurial Studies; Lecture Hall for the Faculty of Education; Faculty of Science Phase IV and Faculty of Science Phase V. Others are the construction of Overhead and Ground Water Tanks for the College of Health Sciences; Building for the Department of Optometry and Vision Science, Workshops for the Faculty of Engineering and Technology; Laboratory for the Faculty of Agriculture; construction of the road to the Researchers’ Lodge; Water Supply form Main Campus to the College of Health Sciences; construction of six numbers of Sit-outs for Students; Medical Assessment Centre; Physical Planning Unit Office Block; Complete Rehabilitation of Lecture Theatres 1-4; Complete Rehabilitation of 650-seater Science Lecture Theatre; Security Entrance Gate House to Senate/Auditorium Complex; 600 Seater Lecture Theatre for Faculty of Science and the 200 bedspace Robiat Ajike Private Hostel.

•Photo shows Prof. Ambali.

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