5 Nigerian universities listed among best 100 in Africa
ONLY five Nigerian universities are in the league of the best 100 in Africa, according to the latest 4icu.org ranking.
Following the University of Ilorin on the ranking table are, the University of Ibadan (No. 2 in Nigeria, No. 33 in Africa), the University of Lagos (No. 3 in Nigeria, No 34 in Africa), Obafemi Awolowo University (No. 4 in Nigeria, No 35 in Africa) and the University of Benin (No. 5 in Nigeria, No. 60 in Africa).
The University of Ilorin was earlier ranked Number One in Nigeria and No. 32 in Africa by the website in 2009.
However, the university slipped to the fourth position in Nigeria and 51st in Africa in 2010 before it now attains, Number One position in Nigeria and still a distant No. 30 in Africa in the latest (2011) rankings of the 4icu.org released.
Disclosing the information to the university’s senate, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, noted that the university had to sustain its tempo because other universities were closing the gap between them and the University of Ilorin in world rankings.
Professor Oloyede remarked that it was better not to be on top than to be there and crash just as he urged members of the university community to continue to do their best in their various beats because others would like to occupy the position their University occupied by the institution.
While speaking on the inaugural “paperless” Senate meeting, in which all members brought their laptops and treated the agenda electronically, the Vice-Chancellor said that apart from the reduction of cost amounting to hundreds of thousands of naira expended on producing Senate papers, the digitisation of Senate activities is necessary to protect the environment.
Professor Oloyede said it was natural that every good development comes with initial challenges.
He added that with time, the university and its senate would overcome the teething challenges that were associated with the transition from the analogue mode to the digital mode in a short time.
Speaking further, the former President of the Association of African Universities (AAU) noted that there was no escape from Information Technology (IT) in the present age.
He expressed satisfaction that he received several calls and text messages from various stakeholders in the Nigerian society who congratulated him and the university on the excellent performance of the University of Ilorin graduates currently on the National Youth Service Corps, who are participating in the ongoing voter registration exercise.
The VC said the reports reaching him and other members of Senate were that the products of the university excel on the field and have no challenge operating the Direct Data Capture machines used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He remarked that when the University made it compulsory two years ago for all its final year students to have Computer Appreciation Certificate as a pre-requisite to graduation, no one anticipated that a body like INEC would deploy corps members or university products to voters registration exercise. He said the products of the University on the field are being commended because irrespective of discipline, they are all computer literate and they have an edge over their counterparts from other universities who did not receive such training.
Source: http://tribune.com.ng
Written by Yekini Jimoh
Tuesday, 01 February 2011
