AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY ENGR. KAYODE OLUBUNMI OJO; THE PRO-CHANCELLOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA TO THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY ON THE 26TH FEBRUARY, 2025 AT NSUKKA CAMPUS, DURING HIS INAUGURAL VISIT TO THE UNIVERSITY
The Council Members,
The Acting Vice-Chancellor,
The University Principal Officers,
The Provost, College of Medicine,
The Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies,
The Dean of Student Affairs,
The Deans of Faculty,
Directors of Institute and Research Centre,
Heads of Department,
Lions and Lionesses,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is a great and special pleasure for me to be part of history in the life of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) foremost Institution of higher learning whose age transcends any other University in Nigeria despite the momentary challenges of the civil war years.
As the youngest Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council in the country. For me am eternally grateful to God Almighty and our dynamic President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that gave me the opportunity to contribute my quota to the growth and development of this great university.
I arrived yesterday with my team and took a comprehensive tour of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC) immediately.
We however, regrettably found a very sorry state of many infrastructures some of which are obsolete as well as many abandoned projects. Also the university premises were largely unkempt with refuse all over the place.
This in deed shows that we have much to do in the short and long runs. Of equal note is the poor enrollment status of the University which could be responsible for the poor Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) observed.
The cheering news however, is that I and my colleagues in the council are determined to change the current narrative in the University. The council under my leadership shall strive to immediately address the decayed infrastructures as well as improve on the aesthetics of the entire university facilities and environment. Our positive actions at the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) and Federal University Lokoja (FEDLOKOJA) within the short time I was there as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council could have necessitated my posting to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) to replicate such and better efforts here.
Council under my watch shall therefore address the fundamental problems militating against the progress of the renewal of the University in order to reposition the school for greatness again.
As way forward we shall immediately develop a dependable and long term strategic development plan for the renewal of the University by keying into Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda taking cognizance of improved Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
It is under such condition that the welfare of staff and students will be guaranteed. Council shall therefore do all in its power to achieve this noble objective.
A system where the staff and students are well cared for will surely lead to improved productivity and higher ranking.
It is my intention to work with the Council and University Management to urgently improve on academic excellence in the University, thereby improving the global webomatric ranking of the University in a very short time. This great University must start again to welcome foreign students in a very short time.
Please, let’s join hands together and sing new song of victory in the university where lions and lionesses hold sway.
The time to move to the next level is now!
Congratulations for having me as a leader who will work hard to accomplish the goals before us as well as striving for excellence.
May God grant all our heart desires. Amen.
Thank you.
Engr. Kayode Olubunmi OJO
Pro-Chancellor and Chairman,
UNN Governing Council.
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