The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the establishment of Kwara State University as proposed by the State Government. Announcing the approval in Abuja on Monday, Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie said the university will become the 34th state university in Nigeria and the 95th recognized by the commission in the country.

“Having conducted thorough preliminary studies on your proposed state owned university with particular interest in its well stated vision of aiming to be a citadel of learning where jobs creators and not seekers would be produced through acquisition of functional knowledge in modern fields of human endeavors, particularly basic sciences, the NUC is pleased to approve your university as the 34th State University in Nigeria and the 95th recognized University in the Country”, the commission stated in its letter of approval.

Earlier in his address before the NUC approval, Governor Bukola Saraki had stated that the university would be collegiate by having colleges of Education, Pure and Applied Sciences, Information and Communication Technology, Humanities as well as Management and Social Sciences. The governor disclosed that machineries in terms of infrastructure are already being put in place at the main campus in Malete for the university to start its first academic programmes in the last quarter of the year.

He also stressed that towards ensuring high standard in the university, merit would be the major criterion for recruitment of staff (both teaching and non-teaching) as well as for admission of students. The governor added that Kwara State was not setting up the university to join the league of state-owned universities in the country but envisioned its own to be a veritable center of excellence committed to the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge, innovation and advancement of the course of humanity in general.

His words: “The University we are setting up in Kwara State would not be in the mould of an end in itself but a means to an end where those who pass through it would also have the university passing through them by making them to be active players in using intellectual capital to drive prosperity in our society in various fields”.

The delegation of the governor to the NUC included the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahm Sulu-Gambari and Prof. Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin and current Chairman, Federal Character Commission. Other members of the delegation included Minster of Transport, Alhaji Isa Bio Ibrahim, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Babatunde Mohammed, Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Cook Olododo, commissioners as well as senators and House of Representatives members from the state.

From Taye Odewale, Abuja