This article is about a federal government-owned university. To read about the state-owned institution in Oyo State, see LAUTECH and Tech-U.
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School Name: University of Ibadan
Alias: UI or UNIBADAN
Date of Establishment: 18th January 1948 as University College, Ibadan, an affiliate of the University of London and a full-fledged university in 1962.
Vice-Chancellor: Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale
Location: Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria
Website: ui.edu.ng
The University of Ibadan is a public research university located in the heart of Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria. The university started as an affiliated college of the University of London in 1948 and evolved into an independent university in 1962.
History regards the University of Ibadan as the oldest degree-awarding institution in Nigeria. Through its alumni network, a lot of impacts have been made on the nation and international communities in the political, industrial and cultural spheres of life. Becoming one of the most prestigious universities in Africa owes to the fact that the citadel of learning has imparted lives which have in turn blessed the continent.
History
There is absolutely no way we would discuss the history of the University of Ibadan without involving the University of London. By doing so, we are leaving the roots of the university out of the story and can only make a little sense.
The University of Ibadan we see today started as an affiliate learning centre of the University of London. The centre was established in 1948 as the University College Ibadan as a result of the recommendation of the Asquith and Elliot Commission on Higher Education in the then-British colonies, that two learning centres of the University of London be set up in Nigeria and Ghana. Before this time, Yaba College already existed as the first tertiary institution in Nigeria with a focus on delivering post-secondary vocational education and teacher training to students across Africa.
After its establishment in 1948, students and staff of Yaba Higher College were transferred to resume as the first cohort of University College Ibadan. Academic activities started fully on the 18th day of January in 1948. The boundaries and site of the university college Ibadan were clearly defined on the 17th day of November 1948. The institution covers 1032 hectares of land which were generally leased by the chiefs and people of Ibadan for 999 years.
In early 1963, roughly three years after the nation’s independence, the University College Ibadan cut off from her annexe which was the University of London to become an independent university. The newly independent institution was to be known as the University of Ibadan. Later that year, Rt. Hon. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa who was the first Prime Minister of Nigeria, became the first Chancellor of the university. Kenneth Dike was privileged at the time to take on the position of vice-chancellorship of the university, and the university library was eventually named after him.
Past and Current Vice-Chancellors
The University of Ibadan has had a handful of vice-chancellors who were either appointed, elected by an internal governing body or recommended based on merit. Since its start as University College Ibadan, it has had four principals which comprise three white men and one black man, Kenneth Dike, who doubled as the last principal and first vice-chancellor of the university. The list is as follows:
- Kenneth Mellanby (Principal): 1948 – 1953
- J. T. Saunders (Principal): 1953 – 1956
- J. H. Parry (Principal): 1956 – 1960
- Kenneth Dike (Principal/Vice-Chancellor): 1960 – 1967
- Thomas Adeoye Lambo: 1968 – 1971
- Orishejolomi Thomas: December 1972 – November 1975
- Tekena Tamuno: December: 1975 – November 1979
- Samson Olajuwon Kokumo Olayide: December 1979 – November 1983
- Ladipo Ayodeji Banjo (acting): November 1983 – November 1984
- Ladipo Ayodeji Banjo: December 1984 – November 1991
- Allen B. O. O. Oyediran: December 1991 – November 1995
- Oladosu A. Ojengbede (acting): December 1995 – March 1996
- Omoniyi O. Adewoye: March 1996 – September 2000
- Olufunso O. Olorunsogo (acting): March 2000 – September 2000
- Ayodele O. Falase: September 2000 – March 2004
- Olufemi Bamiro (acting): March 2004 – November 2005
- Olufemi Bamiro: December 2005 – November 2010
- Isaac Folorunso Adewole: December 2010 – November 2015
- Abel Idowu Olayinka: December 2015 – November 2020
- Adebola Babatunde Ekanola (acting): December 2020 – October 2021
- Kayode Adebowale: October 2021 till date
Academics And Research
The University of Ibadan is ranked as the Best University in Nigeria by the National Universities Commission (NUC) thereby maintaining its status quo as the “first and the best“. No doubt, itis the seventh most competitive university in Nigeria, although its admissions office claims admittance is offered to students from different parts of the country irrespective of race, cultural, and religious background. Accordingly, admissions are strictly by merit or catchment (belonging to a state of origin in the catchment list), though a supplementary provision of admission might be offered to consider average applicants depending on some statistics such as competition, and the number of applicants per department. It has been proven over time that an average applicant can be admitted to less competitive faculties such as Education and Agriculture, while an applicant with excellent performance vying for Medicine or Law loses out on admission.
This institution is made up of ninety-two (92) academic departments organized into seventeen (17) faculties, namely Arts, Science, Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Agriculture, Social Sciences, Education, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Technology, Law, Public Health, Dentistry, Economics and Management Sciences, Renewable Natural Resources, Environmental Design and Management, and Multidisciplinary Studies. The Faculties of the Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Public Health and Dentistry are organized as a College of Medicine.
The University of Ibadan has other academic units, among which are: the Institute of Child Health, Institute of Education, Institute of African Studies, Centre for Child Adolescent and Mental Health, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI), Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training (IAMRAT), Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Centre for Drug Discovery, Development & Production (CDDDP) and Centre for Control & Prevention of Zoonosis (CCPZ). The recently established Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), School of Business (UISB) and National Institute for Maternal, Child & Neonatal Health (NIMCNH) have commenced operation.
Administration and Leadership
The current principal members of the university administration and their positions are as follows:
| Office | Holder |
|---|---|
| Visitor | Muhammadu Buhari |
| Pro-Chancellor & Chairman | Nde Joshua Mutka Waklek |
| Chancellor | Sultan Sa’adu Abubakar, 20th Sultan of Sokoto |
| Vice-Chancellor | Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale |
| Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) | Professor E.O. Ayoola |
| Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) | Professor Aderonke M. Baiyeroju |
| Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships) | Professor Oluyemisi A. Bamgbose |
| Registrar | Mrs Olubunmi Faluyi |
| Bursar | Mr Adewuyi Popoola |
| University Librarian (UL) | Dr Helen O. Komolafe-Opadeji, CLN |
Notable Alumni, Faculty and Staff
Notable Alumni
- Abdulganiyu Abdulrasaq, lawyer, and former President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange
- John Omoniyi Abiri, Nigerian academic
- Sadique Abubakar, Nigeria Chief of Air Staff
- Chinua Achebe, novelist and author of Things Fall Apart
- Dapo Lam Adesina, Member of House of Representative for Ibadan North East/South Federal Constituency
- Adiele Afigbo, historian
- Ayandiji Daniel Aina, former Vice-Chancellor, Caleb University
- J. F. Ade Ajayi, Nigerian historian
- Claude Ake, Professor of Political Economy, international scholar and social crusader
- Stephen Adebanji Akintoye
- Lola Akande, author and academic
- Grace Alele-Williams
- Elechi Amadi
- Alexander Animalu, Emeritus Professor, former Director National Mathematical Centre, Abuja
- Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General
- Kayode Are, former National Security Adviser and former Director-General of the State Security Service
- Ladipo Ayodeji Banjo, vice-chancellor of the University of Ibadan in 1984
- Senator Robert Ajayi Boroffice
- Vivian E. Browne, visual artist
- J. P. Clark
- Sola David-Borha, Chief Executive (Africa Region) of Standard Bank
- Segun Toyin Dawodu, physician, attorney, academic, and entrepreneur who established the first website on socio-political issues in Nigeria.
- Adebayo Faleti(late), journalist, poet, actor and writer
- Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State, former Min of Solid Minerals
- Chukwuemeka Ike, writer
- Amadi Ikwechegh
- Abiola Irele
- Funmi Iyanda, Nigerian talk show host, broadcaster, journalist
- William Kumuyi, founder and General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry
- Yahaya Kuta, author
- Eyitayo Lambo, Nigerian former Federal Minister of Health
- Mary Lazarus, Nigerian actress.
- Eddie Mbadiwe, Member of the House of Representative
- James Meredith, Civil Rights Movement figure
- Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah
- Mark Nwagwu, academic and poet
- Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
- Christopher Okigbo
- Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State
- Isidore Okpewho
- Tunji Olaopa, founder and Executive Vice-Chairman, ISGPP
- Olufunmilayo Olopade
- Sophie Oluwole, philosopher
- Miriam Olusanya, the first female managing director of GTB
- Akinyinka Omigbodun
- Michael Omolewa, former President of the UNESCO General Conference and Ambassador of Nigeria to UNESCO
- Kole Omotosho
- Gamaliel Onosode
- Zakariyau Oseni
- Femi Osofisan, lecturer and playwright known for Women of Owu
- Niyi Osundare
- Jude Rabo, vice-chancellor of Federal University, Wukari
- Ken Saro-Wiwa
- Fisayo Soyombo, investigative journalist
- Wole Soyinka, winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature
- Martin I. Uhomoibhi
- Farida Waziri
- Folashade Yemi-Esan, head of the civil service of the federation
- Mosun Belo-Olusoga, financial expert
Notable Faculty
- Beatrice Aboyade, librarian
- Isaac Folorunso Adewole
- Rashid Adewumi Aderinoye
- Ladipo Ayodeji Banjo, Professor of English
- Ayo Bamgbose, Professor of Linguistics
- Jacob Ade Ajayi, Professor of History
- F. V. Atkinson, mathematician
- Olumbe Bassir, founding member of the Biochemistry and Microbiology departments
- Christine Hamill, mathematician
- Molly Mahood, literary scholar
- Mark Nwagwu, Professor of Biology, and Fellow Nigerian Academy of Science
- Olakunbi Olasope, Professor of Classics
- Abel Idowu Olayinka
- Michael Omolewa, Professor of History and Adult Education
- Folake Onayemi, Professor of Classics and Head of the Department of Classics
- Ebun Oni, a geophysicist
- Niyi Osundare
- H. F. C. Smith
- Wole Soyinka
- Grace Oladunni Taylor, biochemist, first African to win a L’Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science and second female inducted into the Nigerian Academy of Science
- Fabian Udekwu, Professor of Surgery, the first Nigerian cardiothoracic surgeon
- Duncan White
Programmes and Courses
This list of courses and programmes is cut across various faculties and institutes across the University of Ibadan. The programmes include:
Degree Programmes
- Medicine & Surgery
- Dentistry
- Physiotherapy
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
- Human Nutrition
- Nursing Science
- Pharmacy
- Agriculture
- Fisheries and Wildlife Management
- Forestry Resources Management
- Arabic Language & Literature
- Islamic Studies
- Archaeology
- Archaeology with History
- Archaeology with Classics
- Archaeology with Religious Studies
- Anthropology
- Classics
- Religious Studies
- Communication & Language Arts
- Linguistics
- Yoruba
- Igbo
- History
- English Language & Literature
- Philosophy
- French
- Russian
- German
- Theatre Arts
- Law
- Veterinary Medicine
- Agricultural & Environmental Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Industrial Production Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
- Electrical & Electronics Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Food Technology
- Wood Products Engineering
- Economics
- Geography
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Adult Education
- Educational Management
- Arts
- Social Sciences
- Science
- Pre-Primary Education
- Special Education
- Human Kinetics
- Health Education
- Guidance & Counselling
- Library Studies
- Archaeology Single Honours
- Archaeology Combined with Geology
- Archaeology Combined with Geography
- Archaeology Combined with Zoology
- Archaeology Combined with Botany
- Anthropology
- Chemistry
- Industrial Chemistry
- Geography
- Computer Science
- Geology
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Statistics
- Zoology
- Botany
- Microbiology
Hostels and Hall of Residence
The University of Ibadan has 12 halls of residence with an accommodating capacity of eight thousand (8000), with ten halls (10) for Undergraduates and 2 for postgraduates, and three others under construction with the support of the FG Revitalisation Funds. The halls accommodate only about 30% of the U.I’s student population.
This implies that the remaining 70% of the student population are to either squat with friends or get an off-campus apartment. Getting accommodation within the school environment is not as expensive as it is in Lagos. With N70,000 to N120,000, you should get a single-room apartment and a single room self-contain apartment can be gotten from N140,000 depending on the features available such as space, running water, type of floor etc
The Undergraduate Hall of Residence includes:
- Mellanby hall
- Lord Tedder hall
- Kuti hall
- Sultan Bello hall
- Queen Elizabeth hall
- Obafemi Awolowo Hall
- Queen Idia Hall
- Alexander Hall
- Independence Hall
- Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall
The Postgraduate Halls of Residence are:
- Tafawa Balewa Hall
- Abdulsalami Abubakar Hall
The University of Ibadan also boasts of one thousand, two hundred and twelve (1212) housing units for its staff, out of which 609 units are occupied by senior members of staff and 603 units by junior members of staff.
Recreational Centres
Students of this great citadel of learning are popularly regarded as ” Uite” ( this certainly must have been coined from the acronym of the school’s name which is UI) and this term is their slogan. The school motto also reads ” the first and the best”.
The University of Ibadan is not a boring place to study. It features the famous University of Ibadan zoo, comprises a guest house (The University of Ibadan Guest House), the Kenneth Dike Library and a good number of halls and auditoriums. I should not forget to inform you of the beautiful parks and gardens spread across the campus. It is an adventure you should look forward to experiencing on your own terms.
An active Student Union Government, a host institution to most of the inter-university games, low cost of living, what else could you be missing out on? Nothing, I guess.
Conclusion: Is the University of Ibadan worth a Study Destination?
I would not cajole you regarding studying at the University of Ibadan. It is compulsory you go through some form of stress during the admission process, from submitting your screening form to humping from one lecture theatre to another but in all, it is worthwhile.
The University of Ibadan also possesses the finest lecturers in the country and academically, it is one place you can get polished and furnished. A lot of companies across various sectors of purchasing and service rendering would prioritize a certificate from the University of Ibadan before looking into others. This is due to the academic, moral and mental perception that society and Africa at large, hold regarding the university.
The University of Ibadan as an institution was affiliated before becoming full-fledged. Now, it has so many institutions affiliated with it and approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC). These institutions are :
- Bigard Seminary, Enugu, Enugu, State
- Archbishop Vining College of Theology, Akure
- St Augustine’s College of Education Akoka, Lagos
- Osun State College of Education, Ilesa
- Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
- Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, Oyo State.
- SS Peter And Paul Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan
- Immanuel College of Theology and Christian Education, Samonda, Ibadan
- Dominican Institute, Samonda, Ibadan
- ECWA Theological Seminary, Igbaja
- Nigeria Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso
- Life Seminary, Ikorodu
- Redeemed Bible College
- UMCA Seminary, Ilorin, Kwara
- Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Epe Lagos State
The University of Ibadan, although vast in academic prowess is the 7th most sought-after university in Nigeria according to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
