Unilorin to sign MoU with CBN to explore land resources

As part of measures to combine academic with entrepreneurship and improve Internationally Generated Revenue IGR, University of Ilorin says it will soon sign MoU with the Central Bank of Nigeria to maximize its land resources for agricultural entrepreneurship.

Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, professor of Engineering and Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin disclosed this at the weekend while briefing journalists ahead of the 34th convocation ceremonies of the
University.

Abdulkareem said:  “This MoU will allow the Central Bank to use our land for cultivating certain crops for the University and the Bank will readily buy back from us. This to us, is a good initiative for solidifying our philosophy of combining academic with entrepreneurship.

“We have finalized the plan for implementing a project that will yield a hectare of land each to 1000 individuals who wish to embark on mechanized farming. People will be drawn from students, Union and farmers from outside the University.

“Arrangement for proper allocation of land for this project has been completed. Through this, we will be contributing in our own chunk to the Federal Government`s Agricultural initiative.”

Speaking further,  Abdulkareem said that as result of the University`s intensive research efforts, “we have discovered tin metal deposite ( Sn) on our land in such a quantity and quality that can be extracted for business and economic gains.

“We have begun to do necessary paper works and agreement with the Federal Government which will take some time.

“We have also made effort to bring in reliable investors who can turn it into a big business after we might have gone through the process of notification and approval from the appropriate quarters.”

The Vice- Chancellor however, announced that the institution will be convocating a total of 12,108 students during the 34th Conviction og

He explained that, out of the total number, the institution produces 103 first class students in 2017/2018 academic session. Adding that, 10,330 would be awarded first degrees/ diplomas, while 1, 778 would be awarded higher degrees
and postgraduate diplomas.

The Vice Chancellor also revealed that 2,553 students would graduate with second class (upper division) 5,750, second class (lower division), and 1,660, third class, while 36 would graduate with pass.