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Activities marking the 72nd Foundation Day ceremonies of the University of Ibadan (UI) continued Thursday November 12 with the commissioning of Distance Learning Centre’s (DLC) new Administrative Building by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka who described the Building as an enduring legacy.
Apart from the commissioning, the out-going VC also declared open a day 2nd UI’s Small and Medium Enterprises Summit, featuring the Bank of Industry, paylink.ng, E237, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Flour Mills Nigeria PLC, and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Speaking at the DLC’s Administrative Building commissioning, Prof. Olayinka who described the gigantic Building as an enduring legacy of the DLC leaders, noted that with the structure, UI DLC has taken a proper shape and has come to stay permanently.
The UI boss who recalled various ad hoc arrangements made to stabilize the Centre in the past, declared that the DLC was now free from the inconvenience and embarrassment of renting apartments as its operational base.
He thanked the past heads of the Centre for their role and contributions, saying each one of them would feel proud any time they have reasons to visit the DLC, urging the end-users to maintain the sprawling structure.
Speaking earlier, the DLC Director, Prof. Emmanuel Babatunde Omobowale who commended the University’s Management for the support leading to the completion of the Building disclosed that the Administrative Structure would make day-to-day activities much easier and well-coordinated.
The VC later turned the sod of the Centre’ s multiple lecture theatre located within the same vicinity along Sasa road, Ajibode.
Meanwhile, Prof. Olayinka has promised that the UI would continue to partner with industries with a view to linking theory to practice and cementing town and gown synergy.
Declaring open the 2nd UI’s Small and Medium Enterprises Summit tagged CO-CREATE THE FUTURE held at the International Conference Center, the VC hinted that the idea of organizing the annual fair was as a result of the need to partner with the industry with the research effort of the academia.
He described the past experiences of the fair as largely successful going by the responses from the industries, stressing that the university would not stop to organize the fair as part of the activities marking the Foundation Day.
The Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Adedoyin Soyibo who is a one-time Director of Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, UI , expressed delight at the effort of the University, pointing out that “this has been my dream for this University over the years.
Prof. Soyibo cited examples of China where he said small and medium industries played important role in their development.
In her speech earlier, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Prof. Olanike K. Adeyemo whose office coordinated the Fair thanked the VC for giving her the opportunity to serve, pointing out that small and medium enterprises were the drivers of economic growth.
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