Copyright tribuneonlineng
The University of Ilorin has produced 316 First Class graduates out of a total of 11,886 graduates for the 2024/2025 academic session. Speaking with journalists as part of activities lined up to mark the institution’s 40th convocation ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wahab Egbewole (SAN), gave a breakdown of the graduating students as follows: 316 will graduate with First Class Honours, 4,120 with Second Class Upper Division, 5,939 with Second Class Lower Division, 1,078 with Third Class, and 11 with a Pass in the First Degree/Diploma category. The Vice-Chancellor also said that the convocation would feature the graduation of 175 individuals with MBBS degrees, 94 in Nursing, 40 in Optometry, 36 in Veterinary Medicine, and 64 in Physiotherapy. Additionally, 13 individuals will receive Diplomas. Speaking on the ongoing crisis between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Egbewole called for continued dialogue among stakeholders to ensure smooth and quality educational development in the country. The Vice-Chancellor, who attributed the current labour situation to a communication gap between ASUU and the Federal Government, added that measures were being put in place by concerned stakeholders to end the strike action. Egbewole also said that he would not support any call for a second term for university vice-chancellors, adding that a five-year tenure is sufficient to make a desirable impact in any university system. “If you work hard, you won’t call for a second term because that one term could be quite exhausting. My wife and other members of my family can no longer wait for me to conclude my tenure,” he said. Speaking on the recent changes to the university’s transportation system and the attendant challenges faced by staff and students, the Vice-Chancellor explained that the institution was merely implementing its master plan. “Ultimately, if allowed to take its course, the challenges will be obliterated. The master plan of the university does not approve temporary measures that had become permanent before now. The measure is not to cause inconvenience to students or staff in any way but to ensure security, among other reasons,” he said. The Vice-Chancellor also disclosed that the school benefited from an intervention fund of ₦2.6 billion from TETFund in 2025 alone. He said the university had continued to enjoy uninterrupted financial and moral support from TETFund, NELFUND, and other academic partners over the last three years. He noted that the fund covered 11 areas, including physical infrastructure and programme upgrades, academic staff training, ICT support, entrepreneurship, and career services, among others. Egbewole further stated that the university also received ₦300 million for zonal interventions to execute various projects. “Equally, a Special High Impact Project (SHIP) was granted to our university to upgrade facilities in the sum of ₦4 billion at the College of Health Sciences, and another ₦750 million for the construction of a hostel at the College,” he said. According to him, the university also benefited from NELFUND, saying: “I am happy to report that the University of Ilorin has secured ₦1.6 billion for 12,983 students in the 2024/2025 academic session. “This loan was across all disciplines, including medical students. This laudable programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria has guaranteed that no student will drop out as a result of funding.” ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
