…VC briefs media, highlights varsity achievements
Activities marking the 40th Foundation Anniversary of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye were flagged off on Tuesday, 31st January 2023 with a media parley and launch of the Anniversary Logo at the foremost state-owned institution. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, who addressed the press at the Senate Chamber, Main Campus, Ago-Iwoye, disclosed that the University will commemorate the anniversary with celebrations spanning a period of six months, specifically from the kick-off date to 23rd June 2023.
The six-month-long celebrations, the Vice-Chancellor said, would be done in phases as approved by the Governing Council of the University. With the theme: “Lighting the Path of Academic Excellence” the events would also bring the University Community together with different stakeholders across the private and public sectors.
Apart from the media parley, the first phase of the anniversary included the Special Jumat prayers at Ijebu-Ode Central Mosque on Friday 3rd February and the Special Thanksgiving service at the Cathedral of St. Peter Ake, Abeokuta on Sunday 5th February.
The other phases will feature the Town and Gown activity from 28th March to 31st March; Students Week, including Miss OOU Beauty Pageant, talent hunt and other interesting activities from 13th April to 22nd April; and the Anniversary Lecture holding on 25th May. Three programmes are slated in the last phase in June. These include the Alumni Day scheduled for 16th June; the commissioning of Dr. Olusegun Asekun Law Resource Centre on 21st June and the Grand Finale comprising the gala nite, fundraiser and presentation of distinguished awards on 23rd June in Lagos.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the 40th Anniversary is to highlight the achievements of the University, celebrate its growth and successes and bring the University Community together, in a series of events and activities, with its Alumni, Public and Corporate World and the Society at large.
Prof. Agboola, who traced the journey of the institution since it was founded as Ogun State University on 7th July, 1982 and commenced activities on 31st January, 1983, said OOU has witnessed tremendous transformation since its establishment 40 years ago. According to him, the University has held 31 convocation ceremonies and produced over 265,000 graduates since inception. The Vice-Chancellor, who affirmed that the University has competitive edge, noted that its academic programmes have, over the years, enjoyed high ratings as evident in recent accreditation reports. He added that the impressive records of achievements of the University were attributable to the good leadership provided by the successive Vice-Chancellors of the institution.
He said, “The current ranking of the academic programmes, based on the accreditation of programmes in 2020/2021, places the University higher in professional programmes such as Medicine, Law, Accounting, Banking and Finance, Economics, Engineering, amongst others, than similar programmes in most of the universities in Nigeria.”
“A Webometric Committee that was established to improve the visibility of the University continue to perform, with the University web visibility up from its previous 26th position in 2017 to 18th in 2022, out of a total of 170 universities in Nigeria. We are the 4th State University out of 49 in Nigeria on the Webometric ranking.”
“These ratings gave rise to the good standing of Olabisi Onabanjo University among the comity of Nigerian universities. The University has made giant strides in the use of ICT to advance effective service delivery in terms of teaching and learning. It is on record that the University was the first to use Artificial Intelligence to conduct screening examinations for candidates seeking admission into the University;” he added.
Prof. Agboola pointed out that the University took a quantum leap within the last one decade with massive physical infrastructural development, colossal investment in laboratories and equipment, rejuvenation of academic programmes and floating of new ones, provision of hostels for students and staff quarters and improved security.
He explained that the establishment of a Directorate of ICT that fostered the development of the University website, robust internet network, e-payment and e-registration, introduction of computer-based results processing and management system, improvement in the road network and street lighting, major turnaround in the revenue base of the University, and restoration of unbroken academic calendar were among significant gains over the years.
While speaking on the University’s projection for the next five years, the Vice-Chancellor said his administration would consolidate on the various achievements of the past through six strategic intervention pillars namely Academic Excellence; High Impact and Translational Research; University Administration; Improving Student Experience; Entrepreneurial, Linkages and Partnership; and Improved and Sustainable Funding. Prof. Agboola said, “The current administration, which came on board in October, 2022 is poised to take the University to the next level, towards the actualisation of the great vision of becoming a 21st century citadel of learning. This, it plans to achieve, by consolidating on the various achievements of the past administrations through the six strategic intervention pillars believed to be formidable in engendering the desired holistic development in the University.”
“With the aforementioned, the current Management aims to ensure the continued development of Olabisi Onabanjo University to rank as a world class citadel of learning, not only in producing quality, refined and employable graduates, but also in research and innovations. We are aspiring to be number one in Nigeria. All the parameters to achieve it, we have them,” he declared.
Other Principal Officers, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Olatundun Oderinde; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Charles Olufemi Adekoya; Registrar, Mr Femi Ogunwomoju; University Librarian, Dr Adebambo Oduwole, and the Bursar, Mr Semiu Makinde, were present at the media parley.
