No fewer than 48 University of Ilorin lecturers have been promoted to the rank of Professors while 59 others have been elevated to the status of Associate Professors in the latest promotion exercise carried out in the University.
This was announced by the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Wahab Egbewole, SAN at a meeting he held with the new Professors at the University Main Auditorium.
The Vice Chancellor, who is also the Secretary-General of the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), explained that the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, SAN, had, in exercise of his powers, approved the request of the University’s Appointments & Promotion Committee, which culminated in the promotion of the new Professors from their previous positions of Reader/Associate Professor.
The approval of the Minister, according to the Vice Chancellor, was necessitated by the absence of a properly constituted Governing Council for the University, which ought to have discharged the responsibility.
The new Professors, whose promotions were also backdated to October, 2022, include F. D. Babalola of the Faculty of Agriculture, O. O. K. Ibrahim of the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, and O. M. Ameen of the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences.
Others include Professors K. A. Abdullahi, L. E. Odeh, J. O. Friday-Otun, K. A. Rafiu and R. O. Ogunade,who are all from various Departments of the Faculty of Arts .
The other new Professors also include Z. A. Suleiman, I. K. Kolawole, L. O. Omokanye, A. S. Adeniran, M. B. Abdulkadir and A. A. Nasir, all of whom are from the Faculty of Clinical Sciences.
Six new Professors also emerged from the Faculty of Education and they are Patricia Agnes O. Etejere, Nafisat A. Adedokun-Shittu, O. O. Obielodan, C. O. Olumorin, Mulkah. A.Ahmed and Hamdallat T. Yusuf.
Those elevated from the Faculty of Engineering are Professors Temitope E. Odetoye, J. F. Opadiji, Nazmat T. Surajudeen-Bakinde, I. I. Ahmed, Y. L. Shuaib-Babaita and S. O. Bilewu while Abdulateef Iyanda Bako and Ganiyu Amuda-Yusuf were elevated from the Faculty of Environmental Sciences.
Those promoted from the Faculty of Law are Professors;B. A. Abdulkadir, Mariam A. AbdulRaheem-Mustapha and A. O. Sambo.
From the Faculty of Management Sciences are Professors ; Khadijat Adenola Yahaya and Y. I. Mustapha while O. D. Owolabi of the Faculty of Life Sciences was also elevated to the prestigious rank.
Two lecturers from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences also benefited from the promotion exercise and they are A. Giwa and Rashidat O. Ayanniyi.
From the Faculty of Physical Sciences are O. M. Ameen, S. O. Owalude, O. O. Ige, S. Olatunji, Marili F. Zubair, E. O. Titiloye, Yidiat O. Aderinto, A. O. Olawepo and A. A. Abiodun.
The Faculty of Social Sciences also produced two new Professors through K. A. Iroye and L. Saka while J. O. Aiyedun was promoted from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
At the meeting he held with them, the Vice Chancellor congratulated the new Professors for attaining the peak of their careers as he expressed confidence in their dignity and competence.
Egbewole, who noted that their promotions were meritorious and well deserved, commended their dedication to the achievement of the University’s corporate objectives through quality teaching, meaningful research and impactful community services.
The Vice Chancellor encouraged the new Professors not to rest on their oars but also work harder on their responsibilities so as to justify the confidence reposed in them by the authorities of the University and the society at large.
Speaking on the expectations and challenges ahead of the new Professors, Egbewole charged them to ensure that they deliver their inaugural lectures within the next twelve months.
Speaking earlier, the Registrar, Mr Mansur Alfanla, congratulated the new Professors on their promotion to the pinnacle of the teaching career. He informed them that their promotions would have a retrospective effect from October 1, 2022.
Responding on behalf of the newly promoted Professors, Professor Jaiye Opadiji of the Department of Computer Engineering, expressed his profound gratitude to the Vice Chancellor and the University management for their consistent support, which culminated in the accomplishment of their dreams of attaining the peak.
Opadiji,who said that he and his colleagues were not unaware of the expectations from them, assured the authorities of the University of their continued dedication to the services of the institution and humanity.
He also pledged their determination to intensify efforts towards advancing academic excellence and overall success of the University of Ilorin.
