In this interview with Patience Ogbo, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole, MB BS, FMCOG, FWACS, advised the Federal Government to accord universities the status of a local government to enable them function properly. He also spoke on “The UI glows project.” Excerpt:
How prepared is the University of Ibadan to combat terrorists’ threats, theft and other criminality?
We have also adopted a comprehensive approach, which includes networking with security agencies, training and retaining of our security personnel, provision of equipment for campus patrol and monitoring. We are also engaging every member of the university community to be security conscious at all time. We are also at the verge of installing CCTV cameras in strategic positions on campus.
The University of Ibadan is having constant electricity and water in the past one month after the students’ protest. What is different now?
The 24 hours electricity on campus is the outcome of a comprehensive approach to addressing the energy challenge in the institution. When we came on board on 1st of December, we re-engaged the Power Holding Company of Nigeria and also rehabilitated the 33KVA sub-station so that the university can access electricity from this two main lines at Ayede and Ibadan North at Shasha.
The line at the Ibadan North has been abandoned but we discovered this was a major source of electricity so we started the rehabilitation and we committed over N250 million to ensure the lines are functioning. We are also making use of our four brand new generators, which can produce about 8KVA.
With these, we also looked into local generation, which is the use of the inverter. So at night, when all fail, our halls glow with the use of the inverter. The University of Ibadan is the first to make use of inverter in the country. But we are not resting on our oars as we also looking into our fourth leg of the comprehensive approach, which is renewable energy supply. With these, we can boast of 24 hours electricity.
How soon is the University of Ibadan going to achieve its target of a post-graduate institution?
We are looking at the next five years. For now, the ratio of the postgraduate students to the undergraduates is 50/50. But we are targeting a ratio of 60/40. And in doing this, we are employing more graduate assistants. We are on the verge of building a Post Graduate library at Ajibode. We are also improving the Kenneth Dike Library in order to make it visually accessible. Also, we are engaging the private sector to build more hostels for our ladies. We are also improving on the academics by upgrading our laboratories, lecture halls with electronic boards and teleconferencing. These are whole new areas we are working on.
How will the University of Ibadan react to a name change like what the Federal Government did with the University of Lagos?
We will consult. We will appeal to the government because UI is a brand name and changing the name of a 63-year-old man is rather too late. We will not support violence but we will appeal to the government to reconsider. And on the assumption that students would have changed from UNILAG to UI due to the name change, I do not think this is necessary. Moreover, we have a quota for the university.
Post graduate students complained of shabby treatment from staff. What are you doing to address this?
Our post graduate students are special and we treat them with respect. If there is any case of such, we will look into it to stop such from reoccurring.
There is the clamour for better funding for universities. Do you have enough fund to run UI?
What the university gets is enough, if the Federal Government takes over the municipal aspect of running the universities. Utilities like roads, water and electricity among others are not the business of the university. It is the duty of the proprietor, which in this case is the Federal Government. I feel the university should be accorded the status of a local government, where they get direct subvention to run their affairs.
On our part in improving internal revenue generation, we are engaging in commercial fish farming so that wherever there is water on our campus, you will see a fish farm. We are also looking into the future where UI will generate electricity for Nigerians. A lot is on the pipeline to achieving self sufficiency soon.