University of Ilorin
[4][5] The establishment aimed to implement one of the educational directives of the Third National Development Plan, which was aimed at providing more opportunities for Nigerians aspiring to acquire university education and to generate high-level manpower, which is vital for the rapidly expanding economy.
[9] And again in 2023, and also in 2024, it was announced by the JAMB[10][11] Head, Professor Ishaq Oloyede to be the sought-after University, for the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME), making it for the 10th consecutive year.
Dr. T. N. Tamuno who was a professor and Head of the History Department at the University of Ibadan was appointed the first principal of the college in September 1975.
Akinkugbe, made several visits to the second Military Governor of Kwara State, the late Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo in connection with the new institution, such that by March 1976, he had established residence at Ilorin.
In October 1977, the institution attained full autonomous status with the appointment of Professor O.O Akinkugbe as the first Vice-Chancellor of the university.
Undergraduate Degree programmes run for 3–5, or 6 years, depending on entry qualifications and chosen discipline.
The student population of 200 in 1976 has increased to 20,084 by the 2005/2006 session, while the total staff strength of the university stood at approximately 3,040 as of March 1, 2007.
The law degree programme was initially established in 1983/84 session as a department in the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences.
The Main Campus currently houses the Faculties of Science, Communication and Information Sciences(CIS),[14] Engineering & Technology,[31] Agriculture, Education, Law, Arts, Business and Social Sciences, (following the completion of the new seven-storey Senate Complex), the Unilorin Sugar Research Institute, Postgraduate School, the Main University Library, Computer Services and Information Technology (COMSIT), works yard, conference centre, Unilorin Resources Development and Management Board (URDMB), student canteens, the newly completed 2,000-seat multipurpose auditorium and the Alumni/ Endowment Office.
The Mini-Campus presently houses the College of Health Sciences, a mini library, canteens and shopping complex, the Institute of Education, some of the revenue-yielding projects which are under the URDMB such as the Unilorin Computer Centre (Training Wing), Unilorin Bookshop, the bakery, the printing press, and the guest houses.
Apart from the renovation of buildings, a systematic upgrading of teaching and research facilities are being undertaken by the university within its lean resources.
The university has teaching support units which include the Computer Centre, Central Workshop and Stores, Biological Garden, Community Based Experience and Services (COBES), Medical Educational Resources Unit, General Studies (Use of English/National Awareness) Division, and Teaching & Research Farm.
[34] [37] [38] What eventually assumed the toga of a national crisis started within the domain of University of Ilorin in January 2001.
Those involved are Academic Staff Union of university (ASUU) - Unilorin branch activists who were battling the then vice-chancellor, Professor S. Oba Abdulraheem and the institution's authority over the delay in the payment of salaries, allowances, and other sundry welfare issues.
This sent jitters down the spines of most of the lecturers who for fear of losing their jobs rushed to the institution on a daily basis to sign the registers.
Those of them who believed strongly in the cause of the struggle shunned the register, daring the institution's authority threat to sack those lecturers who defied its order.
At the end of the day and consequent upon series of negotiation between the Federal Government and the ASUU leadership, the strike was called off not without an agreement to be implemented by both parties.
At this point, five of the Unilorin 49, led by Dr. Taiwo Oloruntoba-Oju, approached the Federal High Court, Ilorin to seek redress on behalf of their other colleagues.
Precisely on July 26, 2005, the Federal High Court, Ilorin under Justice Peter Olayiwola, ruled that the termination of the appointment of the affected lecturers on account of participation in the strike without a fair hearing was “illegal and unconstitutional.” The termination exercise was declared “null and void:” and the court ordered their earnest reinstatement.
After about eight years and 10 months of a tortuous legal battle, the 44 sacked lecturers of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) in Kwara State were ordered to be reinstated by Nigeria's Supreme Court on December 11, 2009.
[42] This was reported to be the basis of the two decade - long feud between the University of Ilorin Chapter of the ASUU and the National Headquarters of the Union.
