University of Ibadan

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The University of Ibadan is Nigeria's oldest university, and is located five miles (8 kilometres) from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria. It has over 12,000 students.

The University was founded on its own site on 17 November 1948.The site of the University was leased to the colonial authorities by Ibadan Chiefs for 999 years. The first students begun courses in January of that year. Arthur Creech Jones, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, inaugurated the new educational institution. The University was originally instituted as an independent external college of the University of London. Some of the original buildings were designed by the English modernist architects Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew. A 500-bed teaching hospital was added in 1957. Ibadan became an independent university in 1962.

In late 1963, on the University playing fields, with the celebration marked by talking drums, the Rt. Hon. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, first Prime Minister of independent Nigeria, became the first Chancellor of its independent University.The first Nigerian vice chancellor of the university was professor Kenneth Dike ,after whom University of Ibadan's expansive Library is named.

Besides the College of Medicine, there are now ten other faculties: Arts, Science, Agriculture and Forestry, the Social Sciences, Education, Veterinary Medicine, Technology, Law, Public Health, and Dentistry.

The University has residential and sports facilities for Staff and Students on Campus, as well as a Botanical and a separate Zoological Garden.

University of Ibadan boasts among its former students several eminent scholars, including Wole Soyinka, winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature,Odia Ofeimun[a popular Nigerian Poet],Professor Ade Ajayi[One f Afriac's foremost historians], and Abiola Irele. It remains a major pioneer in the development of research south of the Sahara.

[edit] Administration

The underlisted are some of the principal members of the University administration:

Mr Gamaliel Onosode ----- Pro-Chancellor
Professor Olufemi Bamiro --- Vice-Chancellor
Professor Ayo Ogunkunle -- Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration)
Professor Abiola I. Odejide -- Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics)
Professor Ayo Falaye -- Dean, Students
Mrs. Mojisola O. Ladipo -- Registrar
Mr J. A. Bankole -- Bursar
Mrs. Adejoke Scot-Emuakpor -- Librarian

[edit] Halls of residence

The University is primarily residential with Halls of residence for both male & Female students. There is also provision for accommodation of post-graduate students, the halls are listed below: