Campus News

IWD: UNILORIN female staff hail Egbewole’s gender sensitivity

As the global community celebrated this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) penultimate Saturday (March 8, 2025),  a cross-section of the female members of the University of Ilorin community has commended the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, on his exciting record of gender sensitivity.

The women, who cut across the academic and non-teaching cadres, told UNILORIN Bulletin that the Vice Chancellor has demonstrated enormous fraternity towards the female gender of the institution like never before.

Leading the pack of respondents was the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Moji Taibat Bakare-Odunola, who said that the Egbewole Administration, as part of its gender sensitivity, has opened more opportunities for women, saying that it is equally conscious of the multiple roles of female staff members.

Prof. Bakare-Odunola added that the University has more women Directors and Deputy Directors as well as Deans and Sub-Deans now than before.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor also stated that the current Administration in the University is also encouraging a situation where the institution now has more female Heads of Departments and heads of administrative (Deputy Registrars) units.

She also noted that in addition to the above, the University has created more Centres for emerging global and national issues as well as the Centre for Gender Studies with a woman as pioneer Director.

In her own view, the Director, Centre for Gender Studies, Prof. Patricia F. Omojasola, said that a key aspect of Prof. Egbewole’s leadership has been the establishment of structures that promote gender equality, encourage diversity and inclusion, and ensure a safe and supportive campus for all.

Prof. Omojasola recalled that the University, in 2024, raised some committees that assisted in revising the University’s Gender Policy, draft a Sexual Harassment Policy, and strengthen reporting protocols.

The Director noted that the policies, subsequently approved by the Senate, led to the creation of the Centre for Gender Studies, reinforcing the University’s commitment to gender equity as the Centre is tasked with addressing gender-based discrimination and promoting equal opportunities for all staff and students, regardless of gender.

She noted that the dispositions of the Vice Chancellor ensure that women, who are often more vulnerable, have avenues for redress and support.

She also thanked Prof. Egbewole for relating very well with female Deans as he also extended every support they needed to carry out their functions. She also appreciated him for appointing many women into various Directorates and other positions of responsibility, including the appointment of a female Deputy Vice Chancellor.

Also speaking, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Nimah Modupe AbdulRaheem, said that the current Administration under the visionary leadership of Prof. Egbewole is gender-sensitive and gender-inclusive.

Prof. AbdulRaheem noted that the Administration has made a giant stride in promoting gender equality in the University.

She added that the Administration has an unwavering support to create an inclusive and equitable environment for all staff, irrespective of gender, pointing out that four of the Deans of Faculties are women after the completion of the tenure of the immediate past Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences.

Prof. AbdulRaheem noted that the establishment of a Centre for Gender Studies with Prof. Patricia Omojasola as the pioneer Director is a clear confirmation of the gender sensitivity of the Vice Chancellor as she noted that the establishment of the Centre would further promote gender-sensitive policies and practices in the institution.

In her contribution, Prof. Oluwakemi C. Abikoye of the Department of Computer Science, paid glowing tributes to the administrative ingenuity of the Vice Chancellor, particularly as it affects the female members of the University community.

The don explained that the Administration of Prof. Egbewole has had a profoundly positive impact on female lecturers, which she said is a demonstration of his clear commitment to gender equality.

The Chief Legal Officer, Directorate of Legal Services, Mrs Faridah Sheriff, also hailed the Vice Chancellor for his commitment towards improving the lot of women in the services of the University.

Mrs Sheriff said that the Vice Chancellor deserves to be celebrated for running a female-friendly administration, which does not deny the male of their rights and privileges.

In her comment, Mrs Kudirat Suleiman of the Centre for Open and Distance Learning (CODL) thanked Prof. Egbewole for ensuring that the voices of female staff of the University are heard loud and clear within and beyond the institution.

Mrs Suleiman noted that, apart from the rising profiles of many of the female staff of the University, two of them (Prof. Medinat Salman and Prof. Nazimat  Surajudeen-Bakinde) were recently appointed Vice Chancellors of two universities during his tenure while a non-teaching female staff, Mrs Khadijah Garba, also got appointed as the pioneer Registrar of the Federal College of Education, Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State.