Campus News

Egbewole charges students to uphold integrity, discipline, excellence

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has admonished Nigerian students, especially Unilorites, to uphold the values of integrity, discipline, and academic excellence for which the University is renowned.

Prof. Egbewole gave the charge last Monday (April 14, 2025) during the 2025 Mojirola Foundation Scholarship Award ceremony held at the University Auditorium Basement.

The Vice Chancellor, who was represented at the event by the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Alex Akanmu, congratulated the 20 beneficiaries of this year’s scholarship scheme, 12 of whom are from the University of Ilorin, while the remaining eight are from other institutions across the country.

Prof. Egbewole urged the awardees not to take the opportunity for granted, reminding them that they are stakeholders in a lifelong process of growth, education, and service. “You are part of the process today, but you will become the product tomorrow,” he said.

According to him, the University of Ilorin has consistently upheld a reputation built on excellence, and it is expected that students who benefit from opportunities such as this scholarship will reflect those values in their personal lives and academic pursuits.

In her speech, the Project Director of the Mojirola Educational Foundation and Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, Dr. Ruth Abiola Adimula, explained that the initiative was designed to reduce the burden of education on indigent and high-performing students. She described education as a powerful tool for national development and peace building.

               Dr. Adimula expressed appreciation to the successive Vice Chancellors of the University for their unwavering support in hosting the scholarship award presentations over the years. She specifically thanked the current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), for approving the venue and backing the initiative. She also acknowledged the participation of Dr. Alex Akanmu, despite his tight schedule.

The Project Director also lauded the commitment and vision of the CEO of the Mojirola Foundation, Engr. Joseph Duntoye, an alumnus of the University’s Faculty of Engineering and Technology  for initiating and sustaining the scholarship project. Originally established to support students from his native Oro town in Kwara State, the programme has since expanded to include other parts of Kwara and Osun States.

While calling on other philanthropists and corporate bodies to emulate the gesture, Dr. Adimula stressed that the government alone cannot shoulder the burden of educating the nation’s youth. She said, “We use this opportunity to call on other well-meaning Nigerians to support the government and the society by using their resources to support education in the country.”

Dr Adimula lamented the increasing trend of brain drain among the nation’s youth, popularly referred to as “JAPA”, and described it as a loss not just of talent but of potential national development.

She disclosed that over 200 applications were received in just two weeks of advertisement, demonstrating the enormity of the need for educational support.

In his remarks, the President of the University of Ilorin Student Union, Mr. Victor Agezeh expressed profound gratitude to the Foundation for what he described as a timely and impactful intervention in the lives of Nigerian students. He pledged the Union’s continued support for initiatives that promote academic excellence and student welfare.

The 12 beneficiaries the 2024/2025 Mojirola Educational Foundation Scholarship from the University of Ilorin  are Adeboye Samuel Adesire, 500 Level Chemical Engineering; Oladipo Omoleyin Joseph, 300 Level Common Law; Zakariyahu Basheer, 500 Level, Islamic Studies; Oladokun Idris Ajao, 400 Level Medicine and Surgery; Oladimeji Ibrahim Okikiola, 400 Level Anatomy; Olalere Emmanuel Oluwadamilola, 500 Level Pharmacy; Olayemi Sarah Olamide, 400 Level Microbiology; Ogunrinu Israel Aanuoluwapo, 400 Level Surveying and Geoinformatics; Adeniran Tosin Oluwaseun, 300 Level Electrical and Electronics Engineering; Abdulyakeen Mustapha Olawale, 400 Level Mathematics; Olayiwola Zainab Abiola, 200 Level Nursing Science; and Bello Nafisat Adedolapo, 400 Level Medicine and Surgery.

 Three of the other beneficiaries are from Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto; and one each from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Bayero University, Kano; the University of Jos; and the Federal University of Technology, Minna.