I PLAN BIG FOR UI
_ Olanipekun,UI Pro-chancellor.
Pro-Chancellor and chairman of Govering Council of the University of Ibadan [UI], Chief Wole Olanipekun [SAN] has declared that part of his plans for the oldest university in the country is to make it a dedicated for other institutions,saying that he plans big for the university of Ibadan.
According to the legal luminary,"as the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of council, my ambition ,hope, wish,determination and prayer is to add much more value to the university and leave it at a far better and loftier place than I met it. This is not just my catechism, but also my guiding principle"
Speaking at the university, Chief Olanipekun discclosed that along with other council members,"we are going to enact a regime of good and credible governance for the university which will be a reference point not just for other universities,but also different governments in Nigeria"
He also said "with our appointment. we have been called upon to make individual sacrifices not only for the betterment of this institution, but also for the uplifting of educational standards in our country and making the university of Ibadan a dedicated showcase for other institutions in the country"
Praising the quality of the council members,Chief Olanipekun expressed delight that with the existing synergy with the Prof. Olufemi Bamiro led management, UI will continue to witness an unprecedented progress.
"We have our blueprint, projections ideas and masterplan for UI and without any distruption of existing equilibrum, we intend to marry our masterplan with the past, in a most novel,dynamic and pragmatic manner in other to achieve the very objectives for which UI was established in 1948", he said.
While enumerating some of the achievements of the council, Chief Olanipekun cited the on-going construction of access roads linking the main campus to Ajibode, the second phase of the university campus as one of the major achievements, saying "by the time we complete the project, future expansion will shift to the area"
The legal icon also mentioned purchased of two giant generators which he said have reduced the buden of power outage, construction of car parks and many buildings as well as rehabilitation of the old infrastructure.
Chief Olanipekun who thanked President Umaru Yar'Adua for a commitment to UI stated that"bearing in mind what UI means to Nigeria and to Africa,government should be ready to further assist the university just as educational system in the country must be free from uncertainity.
The Pro-Chancellor who expressed happiness at the recent resolution of the crisis in the educational sector insisted that wars have been fought and won by reasoning, rather than might,adding "it is my hope,therefore,that the agreements and understandinh reached so far by government and various unions would be sustained.