The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, fspsp, has asserted that an investment in UI is an investment in the future of education in Nigeria adding that any conversation on the University of Ibadan, being the first university in Nigeria, implies that the future of Nigerian education is being deliberated.

Professor Adebowale made this assertion at the handing over of the Nigerian Communications Commission Digital ICT Park to the University of Ibadan by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

According to the Vice-Chancellor, the edifice is not merely a building but a beacon of progress, a catalyst for innovation, and a transformative gift to the premier university and indeed to the future of Nigeria.

He appreciated the NCC under the leadership of the Executive Vice-Chairman/CEO, Dr Aminu Maida, for the commission’s foresight, commitment to national development through digital empowerment by funding and establishing the state-of-the-art facility.

Professor Adebowale said facilities in the building will empower cutting-edge research, revolutionize teaching and learning, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, drive digital solutions for society, and enhance university administration.

He stated that UI recognises its pivotal role in preparing the next generation of leaders, innovators and problem solvers equipped to navigate and shape the future saying that the NCC Digital ICT Park was donated at a crucial moment that perfectly aligns with the strategic vision of the university to become a world class institution for research, innovation and digital excellence.

The VC assured that the University of Ibadan will manage, maintain, and maximize the potential of the facility with unwavering commitment, establish robust governance structures and forge partnerships to ensure its sustainability and extend its impact to generations to come.

The Executive Vice-Chairman/CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr. Abraham Oshadami who stated that the University of Ibadan occupies a distinguished place in national history and continues to be a beacon of intellectual and societal progress.

Engr. Oshadami, an alumnus of the University of Ibadan, stated that the occasion evokes a profound sense of pride and connection as UI represents more than a place of learning saying that it is a launchpad for pioneering ideas and a catalyst for Africa’s digital transformation, adding that what begins in UI has the power to reshape what happens across the continent.

According to Engr. Oshadami, the facility is one of six flagship digital infrastructure projects strategically established by the Commission in select institutions across the country and forms an integral part of NCC’s broader agenda to foster innovation, strengthen research capacity, and accelerate the development of Nigeria’s digital economy.

He urged the university management, student community, public officials, and the wider Ibadan populace to ensure the maintenance, sustainability, and optimal use of the Digital ICT Park and embrace the infrastructure as a shared asset that will serve both the University of Ibadan and the broader community for generations to come.

The Registrar of the University of Ibadan, Mr Ganiyu Oke Saliu, thanked the NCC for the magnificent edifice and support given over the years.

He affirmed that the facility is truly state-of-the-art and also expressed the confidence that it will significantly enhance the university’s digital capabilities and innovation potential.

The Director, Information Technology and Media Services, Mrs Abiodun O. Alao appreciated NCC for its unwavering commitment to education and kindness which have given a space where learning could flourish, ideas could be nurtured, dreams could take flight and serve as a foundation for the future of countless young minds.

Mrs Alao highlighted numerous interventions and contributions that had been made by NCC to the University of Ibadan, stating that its support had significantly enhanced digital capacity, learning infrastructure, and international competitiveness at the institution.

She explained that digital resonates with the drive of the University for a SMART UI, which has laid structures for the introduction of Smart ID cards for the students and classroom attendance solutions, amongst other developments.
The director said the university is looking forward to more interventions from NCC and other agencies/organisations that would enhance the realisation of the UI vision, equipped with technology.

The Digital ICT Park features a 100-seat main hall, five dedicated ICT hubs, a 24-seater lounge with eight dual-computer workstations, multiple shared workspaces, meeting rooms, conference room, dining room, server room and administrative offices.

The commissioning of the NCC Digital ICT Park for use and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque was done by Engr. Abraham Oshadami, accompanied by the Vice-Chancellor.

The University management team, Deans of Faculties, Directors of Centres/Institutes, other representatives of NCC, Staff, Students’ Union executives, and other members of the University Community witnessed the ceremony.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, fspsp, has commended research teams from different departments of the university who won the TETFUND Institutional Based Research Awards and a China-Nigeria Joint Laboratory Project for Soil and Water Conservation; and Agricultural Sustainable Development Grant on behalf of the University.

He made the commendation at an award presentation ceremony held in honour of the researchers.

He celebrated the research teams for upholding the legacies of academic excellence of the University of Ibadan, stating that the university management will continually encourage its staff to engage more in researches which keep the institution at the top of the league of universities.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, a university is not merely known for its bricks and mortars but groundbreaking research activities, stressing that its academic staff must be constantly engaged in research.

Professor Adebowale said UI, through its alumni, professional experts, scholars, comprehensive spectrum of innovations, human resources, and highly placed researchers, had contributed to the establishment and growth of other universities in Nigeria.

He reiterated that the vision of the University of Ibadan is to transit into a postgraduate university where cutting-edge research is carried out to impact society locally and internationally.
According to the VC, both older and younger generations of researchers are equally important, adding that continuity and sustainability of research is the strength of the academia.

He, therefore, called for collaborations between mentors and mentees in order to have protegees on the field of research, saying that the University of Ibadan is also favourably sensitive to mentor-mentee relationships.

Professor Adebowale stated that Africa is endowed with human capital, natural resources, and the demography to lead the world, disclosing that research collaborations at the University of Ibadan are focused on the development of the African continent.

He charged UI researchers to take full advantage of the opportunity of institutional based research grants, calling for collaborations.

According to the VC, inter-disciplinary and inter-faculty collaboration would engender breakthrough in research.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose, SAN, had earlier stated that research is the engine that drives innovation and solve world problems.

She had also commended the awardees, saying their hard work as trail blazers, who are positioned to break new grounds in innovation towards a bright future for Nigeria, is celebrated.

Professor Odutola Oshunsanya of the Department of Soil Science Resource Management and his team were awarded the China-Nigeria Joint Laboratory Project for Soil and Water Conservation and Agricultural Sustainability Development.

Awardees of the 2024 TETFUND Institutional-Based Research Grantees from various Departments were:

• Dr. S. O. Babalola and his team (Department of Arts & Social Science Education
• Dr A. M. Adegbore and his team (Department of Library, Archival and Information Studies)
• Dr Adedeji Tella and his team (Department of Science & Technology Education)
• Dr. Adetunbi M. Akinyemi and her team (Department of Early Childhood Education)
• Dr M. T. Gbolahan and his team (Department of Adult Education)
• Dr Oluwaseun Ariyo and his team (Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics)
• Dr Adeyi Akindele and his team (Department of Zoology)
• Dr. Olugbenga Akinola and his team (Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology)
• Dr. Funmilayo E. Olopade and her team (Department of Anatomy)
• Dr. O. K Aromolaran and his team (Department of Geology)
• Dr Mary O. Ugalahi and her team (Department of Ophthalmology)
• Dr. Abiola A. Omokhabi and her team (Department of Adult Education)
• Dr. Oluseye Adewale Adebimpe and his team (Department of Industrial and Production Engineering)
• Dr. Folashade O. Adeboyejo and her team (Department of Food Technology)
• Prof. O. Ipingbemi and his team (Department of Urban and Regional Planning)
• Dr. O. S. Yaya and his team (Department of Statistics)
• Dr Yingigba C. Akinyemi and her team (Department of Geography)
• Dr. P. O. Ige and his team (Department of Social & Environmental Forestry)
• Dr. A. O. Adeyi and his team (Department of Zoology)
• Prof. Stella Oladeji and her team (Department of Adult Education)

A Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Ibadan, Professor Victor Ifeolu Akinmoladun has submitted that pro-inflammatory diets such as sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates, processed meats, fried foods including persistent inflammation promote the development of certain types of cancer, including oral cancer.

He made the submission while delivering the 582nd Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ibadan on behalf of the Faculty of Dentistry.

The title of the lecture was “The Scalpel and the Laboratory: Collaboration Against the Lawless”.

The inaugural lecturer stated that cancer is a major societal, public health, and socioeconomic problem in the 21st century that causes 3 in 10 global premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in those aged 30 to 69 years.

Professor Akinmoladun said cancer is responsible for almost one in six of all deaths and one in four deaths from NCDs worldwide adding that head and neck cancer (HNC) is ranked at between 6th to 10th most common cancers in the world.

He described the relationship between inflammation and cancer as an agreement between two individuals or groups of persons to achieve an unlawful or illegal and harmful goal, often with fatal consequences.

The inaugural lecturer stated that many cancers are known to be induced by chronic inflammation, while many more are sustained by it, adding that soluble and cellular inflammatory mediators such as cytokines are responsible for tumour initiation and associated with progression in some cancer cases including head and neck cancers.

He lamented that figures on the burden of the disease are difficult to obtain in Nigeria, adding that data on survival in oral cancer is also hardly available. He said these are adjudged to be way below global values largely due to late presentation, infrastructural deficit, and cost of treatment, amongst others.

The Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery identified risk factors for oral cancer to include: alcohol, tobacco, malnutrition and environmental exposure adding that diet, nutrition, physical activity, other environmental exposures and host factors interact to affect the cancer process.

He affirmed that higher vegetable and fruit consumption have protective effects on cancers of the stomach, oesophagus, lung, oral cavity, pharynx, and colon.

The Don further added that micronutrients such as zinc, copper and selenium along with antioxidants as well as vitamins are required for the production of various enzymes that help prevent DNS damage caused by free radicals and also maintain the integrity of mucosal surfaces.

He stated that cancer is not exactly the direct consequence of a failed immune system or a compromised system, but they can significantly contribute to cancer development while the understanding of the compromises forms the basis for immune therapy against cancers.

He, therefore, called for scalpel-laboratory collaboration, stating that while the scalpel remains a major force in the primary management of head and neck cancer, the care requires a multidisciplinary approach and the laboratory must necessarily be part of the collaboration.

Professor Akinmoladun said the role of the laboratory is now beyond histological diagnosis of the disease but involves genetic and predictive marker testing, amongst others, thus, collaboration is essential in continuing to understand the disease for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

He said that in addressing this rather complex and multifaceted challenge that oral cancers present, fostering collaborations between the scalpel and the laboratory through interdisciplinary intervention remains crucial.

The Don also recommended supplements rich in antioxidants and single-carbon metabolism, vitamins, in addition to lifestyle changes, particularly the avoidance of alcohol and tobacco use.

He further encouraged a targeted therapy, a precision medicine approach to cancer treatment, which relies heavily on laboratory testing and research to identify specific genetic protein targets within cancer cells that can be blocked or altered by drugs.

Professor Akinmoladun advised clinicians, researchers and scientists working in the same field to come together to address critical issues and harness the power of synergy, saying that it is imperative that the scalpel-laboratory collaboration is fully embraced and vigorously pursued.

The Inaugural Lecture was the fifth in the series for the 2024/2025 academic session.

The University of Ibadan Bachelor’s Degree peogramme in Chemistry has been accorded global recognition from the American Chemical Society (ACS).

This famed recognition affirms that the university’s chemistry curriculum aligns with international standards set by the ACS Guidelines for International Chemistry Programs.

Reckoned as the oldest chemistry department in Nigeria, it has played a pivotal role in shaping scientific research and education.

The department was established in 1948 as one of the foundation departments of the University of Ibadan, and it has grown into the largest and most prestigious chemistry department in the country.

The department provides key support to science-based faculties across the university and offers degree programs at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Graduates from the UI Department of Chemistry have distinguished themselves as reknowned contributors to the academia, industry, research, and government establishments across the nation.

Following an all-encompassing evaluation by the ACS Committee on Professional Training, the program’s curriculum was adjudged comprehensive. It covers all key areas of chemistry—analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry (ABIOP).

The committee acknowledged and commended the department’s strong research offerings, specialized courses such as medicinal and industrial chemistry, and its commitment to laboratory safety and infrastructure development.

The ACS recognition is valid for six years, with an annual review process to ensure continuous progress.

This significant feat foregrounds the Univeristy of Ibadan’s commitment to excellence and positions the university’s chemistry department among globally recognized programmes, which further concretize its commitment to academic excellence and outstanding research.

Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC-Oyo South) has extended warm greetings to Muslims on the celebration of Eid-el-Adha, urging them to embrace the festival’s deeper message of sacrifice, compassion and national unity.

This is contained in a statement issued by his Media Office and made available to newsmen on Friday in Ibadan.

Senator Alli called on Nigerians to reflect on the timeless values demonstrated by Prophet Ibrahim (AS), especially as the nation navigates through economic and social challenges.

He said that Eid-el-Adha goes beyond ritual sacrifices, stressing the need to uplift the less privileged, support one another, and rekindle a sense of patriotism and shared responsibility among citizens.

The lawmaker said that while insecurity and economic hardship test the nation’s resolve, Nigerians must unite across religious and ethnic lines to build a better future.

“Let’s all see the country’s diversity as a strength to be harnessed for unity and prosperous future,” he said.

Senator Alli reaffirmed his commitment to promoting equity, economic growth and peaceful coexistence through legislative advocacy.

He prayed that Almighty Allah accept the sacrifices of the faithfuls and grant the nation lasting peace and prosperity.

Amofin Beulah Adeoye, founder of the Beulah Adeoye Foundation has extended his warm facilitations to Muslims all over the world and promised inclusive growth for all and sundry in his future aspirations.

The Ipapo-born legal icon, Amofin Adeoye charged Muslim Ummah in Oyo State to renew their commitment, tolerance and work for the progress of Òyó in all fronts as the celebrate Eid-al-Adha for Hijrah 1446.

“As Muslims around the world celebrate Eid-al-Adha, I extend my heartfelt greetings to you and your loved ones. This sacred occasion is a powerful reminder of faith, sacrifice, compassion, and unity — values that lie at the heart of both our personal lives and the vision I hold for our community.

“Eid-al-Adha commemorates devotion of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and the spirit of giving that defines shared humanity. It encourages Muslims to reflect on what they can do for one another, especially for those less fortunate.

“Through Beulah Adeoye Foundation, I have seen firsthand how acts of kindness, big and small, can transform lives. From supporting business entrepreneurs, Tech experts, health care and education, our mission Beulah Adeoye Foundation has always been rooted in serving with dignity and love.

“This Eid, let us renew our commitment to justice, equity, and compassion — not only in celebration, but in action. Let us reach out to our neighbours, care for the vulnerable, and uplift the voices that often go unheard. Whether through sharing meals in Ibadan, supporting local initiatives in Oke-Ogun, or simply offering a listening ear, each gesture of kindness strengthens the fabric of Oyo State with different zones.

“I am deeply inspired by the values of Eid-al-Adha. My vision for our state is one of inclusive growth, where opportunity, dignity, and basic services are accessible to all geo-political zones— regardless of background or status. I pledge to lead with transparency, humility, and the spirit of service that defines this blessed day.

“May this Eid bring peace to your homes, blessings to your families, and hope to future. May all the sacrifices be accepted, prayers answered, and our communities united in purpose and prosperity”.