President Bola Tinubu, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) were named yesterday as dignitaries to attend Igbinedion University’s (IUO) 25th anniversary celebration.
On May 10, 1999, the then-military Head of State, Abubakar, issued a certificate of operation for Igbinedion University Okada, Nigeria’s first private university.
Speaking at a press conference to unveil the anniversary logo and announce the programmes and events marking the silver jubilee anniversary at the university’s main campus in Okada, the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, said the week-long programme, which began with a free medical outreach in ten communities in Okada and its environs, will include an inter-university football tournament and a special Jumat prayer on Friday, May 3.
Ezemonye said there will be a moot court competition on May 7 and an exhibition and Alumni reunion and engagement on May 9. The anniversary celebration, he added, will climax with a colloquium titled: “Re-imagining Tertiary Education for Africa’s Present and Future Realities,” to be delivered by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman.
Others persons expected to deliver colloquiums include: African Union (AU) Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Mohamed Bellhocine; and Shri Balasubramanian, High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, amongst others.
Ezemonye added: “Today, we are delighted to announce the upcoming celebration of the 25 years anniversary of Igbinedion University, Okada, the premier and leading private university in Nigeria.
“We are filled with immense joy and gratitude as we mark 25 years of academic excellence, advancing knowledge and creating opportunities.
Over the past 25 years, Igbinedion University has evolved into a beacon of intellectual repository, a crucible for innovation and nurturing ground for future leaders and game changers.”
In 1999, history was made with the licensing of the first private university in Nigeria. By May this year, it will be exactly 25 years since the epochal event.
Since inception, the university has achieved remarkable successes in teaching, research, capacity building, innovative studies and perhaps most significantly, the production of exceptional graduates in diverse fields of human endeavour who are contributing their quota to national and global development.
Continuing, Ezemonye noted that the university started with five faculties, 115 student enrolment at inception, but that today the institution has seven facilities and over 7,000 students.
According to him: “Igbinedion University Okada, from a modest figure of 115 enrolment at inception, we now have over 7,000 male and female students on campus.
“We have recorded steady growth in academic programmes of study. From five colleges at inception in 1999, the university has expanded to seven colleges and three schools.”
He added that the academic departments and programmes had witnessed exponential increase from seven at inception to 85, made up of 34 undergraduate and 51 postgraduate programmes.
“We have produced over 16,000 graduates across disciplines spread across the globe, with records of stellar performances in their respective fields of endeavour.
“All courses/programmes are fully accredited not only by the National Universities Commission (NUC) but also by relevant professional bodies”, the vice chancellor said.