Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria will soon begin to generate and distribute electricity to the university community when the ongoing 8.03MW power project is completed
Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede stated this at the press conference to herald the 60th anniversary of the institution on campus within the week.
The Vice Chancellor who said the institution has obtained Marketing License to distribute electricity to the university community said the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) 8.03MW power project would soon be completed.
“The University has processed and obtained from the Transmission Corporation of Nigeria the Marketing License as Electricity distributor, the first Nigerian University to enjoy the privilege. This will enable OAU generate its own electricity.
“The aim is to reduce the economic burden of high tariff and ensure regular electricity supply to enhance its various academic activities.
“The University presently pays over N80m per month for electricity and additionally over N2m per month on Diesel to power generators,”he said.
Professor Ogunbodede nevertheless, expressed hope that while the project was aimed at the University community, it may have no choice but to benefit the immediate community with the excess power, since the university could not exhaust the 8.03MW.
Significant success stories
He said the university has made significant advances in research, resulting in nationally and globally significant success stories.
The VC stressed that the OAU has achieved rapid growth and development, particularly in the areas of Academic programmes, Research, Infrastructural Development and human resources development.
Ogunbodede said that the university has produced, among its staff, a Nobel Laureatte and six Nigerian National Merit Award Winners.
While commending the University Alumni and friends for their assistance in supporting various projects and programmes in the institution, he asked for more interventions and support in the face of inadequate and dwindling resources from the Federal Government.
Ogunmodede explained that OAU had recorded significant achievements in all its areas of competencies, particularly in learning, research and community service, leading to innovations and patents in the areas of Health, Drug, Agriculture and Technology.
“The University pioneered kidney transplant in Nigeria in 2002, conducted the first separation of Siamese twins in sub Sahara African and did a Cochlear Implantation,” he said
Professor Ogunmodede explained that all the ninety academic programmes in the Institution enjoyed full accreditation of the National University Commission, NUC while approval has been secured for fresh courses in Mass Communications and related courses
Also Speaking, the new Chairman of the OAU Governing Council, Owelle Oscar Udoji peomised that during his tenure, OAU will break fresh grounds in research and contribution to National Development.
Gambiia University partners with OAU
Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Gambia, Prof Faqir Anjum who siezed the occasion to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the OAU, thanked Nigeria for her contributions to the educational development of Gambia.
Obafemi Awolowo University was established on the 8th of June 1961 as University of Ife by the then government of Western Region of Nigeria.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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