25 Interesting Facts You Should Know About the University of Ibadan

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One of the common banter among Nigerian tertiary institutions students is that “My school is better than yours.” Every student and alumnus wants to prove that their school or alma mater is the best in Nigeria.

Regardless of these sentiments, one indisputable fact every Nigerian student can’t deny is that the University of Ibadan (popularly referred to as UI) is the mother of all Nigerian Universities.

The University of Ibadan, located in the heart of the vibrant city of Ibadan, Oyo State, is known for many things, especially for being the premier university in Nigeria.

Despite being the oldest, the institution’s academic excellence is still unwavering today. Thus, it remains undoubtedly one of the best tertiary institutions, if not the First and the Best in Nigeria. 

Any UIte reading this would be familiar with the slang “UItes no dey carry last.” However, to clear some doubts you might have about UI, I’ll walk you through 25 interesting facts you probably never know about my school.

25 Interesting Facts You Should Know About the University of Ibadan 

1. The mystery behind the establishment

The University of Ibadan was founded in 1948 under the name University College Ibadan (UCI) as a subordinate of the University of London. University College was founded as a result of reports of the Asquith and Elliot Commissions in 1945. 

The reports suggested setting up University Colleges in Nigeria and Ghana. Yaba Higher College (now Yaba College of Technology) was the only post-secondary school institution in the country then; it was founded in 1932. When UCI was established, students, staff and equipment were transferred from Yaba to Ibadan.

2. The initial location

A historical fact about the UI is that it was established on a temporary site at Eleyele, Ibadan on 25, March 1948, with 104 foundational students and 3 faculties (Arts, Science and Medicine). It was later moved to its permanent site on November 17, 1948. The permanent site covers more than 2550 acres of land.

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3. The first principal

The first principal of the University of Ibadan was Dr Kenneth Mellanby. He was appointed in 1947 before the school was founded. He served as the principal between 1947 and 1953.

Mellanby was succeeded by J.T. Saunders (!953-1956). Saunders was a non-academic staff. The Mellanby Hall of Residence in UI (one of the male hostels) was named after Dr Kenneth Mellanby.

4. Autonomy

Nigeria gained independence from the British in 1960. Consequently, UCI became an independent institution officially in 1962 and was renamed the University of Ibadan.

5. Foundational medical students

The earliest medical students of the institution got their clinical training at London University before the completion of University College Hospital (UCH) in 1957. The first set of medical students trained in UCH graduated in 1960.

6. The Seadogs

Another interesting thing you should know about the UI is that the origin of cultism in tertiary institutions can be traced back to the University of Ibadan. Back when it was still known as University College, the first confraternity group was formed in 1952 by 7 friends known as The Magnificent Seven. 

These 7 friends are:

• Professor Wole Soyinka
• Olumuyiwa Awe
• Pius Olegbe
• Ikpehare 
• Aig-lmoukhuede
• Ralph Opara
• Nathaniel Oyelola and 
• Sylvanus Egbuche. 

The cult group was called the Pyrate Confraternity, popularly known as “the Seadogs.” They were a group of academically outstanding students who formed the group to encourage academic excellence among the members.

Moreso, the confraternity members aimed to fight for students’ rights and social justice, especially against colonial masters. The Pyrates logo is skulls and bones coloured in red, yellow and black. They now have over 25, 000 members all over the country as well as international branches.

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7. Chancellors and Vice Chancellors (VCs)

After gaining independence from London University, RT. Hon. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was the first Chancellor as well as the first visitor of the University of Ibadan. Professor Kenneth Dike, whom the Kenneth Dike Library (KDL) was named after, was the first indigenous Vice Chancellor of the university. 

The present Chancellor of the University of Ibadan is Sultan Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar. He is the 20th Sultan of Sokoto. Since its establishment, the University of Ibadan has only had 13 Vice Chancellors. The present VC is Professor Kayode Adebowale of the Department of Chemistry. 

One of the notable facts to know about the University of Ibadan is that it has never had a female Vice-Chancellor.

8. The Latin Motto

The school motto is written in Latin “Recte Sapere Fons” which means “To think straight is the fount of knowledge.”  This is often regarded as the guiding principle for the institution.

9. Research institutes

Another fact about UI is that it is a public research institution that trains students with a good depth of knowledge in specialised courses. UI has established several research centres and institutes that focus on various areas of study and research. 

Some of these research institutes are: 

• Institute of African Studies
• Institute of Child Health
• Centre for Child Adolescent and Mental Health
• Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• School of Business
• Infectious Diseases Institute
• Centre for Drug Discovery, Development and Production, etc. 

10. Faculties and departments

The University Of Ibadan presently consists of 16 faculties which include:

• Arts
• Sciences
• The Social Sciences
• Pharmacy
• Law
• Technology
• Agriculture and Forestry
• Public Health
• Clinical Sciences
• Basic Medical Sciences
• Education
• Renewable Natural Resources
• Veterinary Medicine
• Environmental Design and Management
• Economics, and 
• Dentistry. 

These faculties have a total of 92 academic departments. 

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11. College of Medicine

4 out of the 16 faculties make up the University of Ibadan’s College of Medicine; Clinical Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences, Dentistry and Public Health. It also has the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Research and Training (PIMRAT).

12. Halls of Residence

UI has 10 halls of residence (3 for females, 6 for males while the remaining one is mixed) for undergraduate students. These halls of residence were named after some notable individuals.

Kenneth Mellanby Hall was named after the first Principal of the institution. Lord Tedder Hall was named after a Royal Air Force Chief Marshal, Lord William Tedder. Sultan Bello Hall was formally opened by the late Sir Ahmadu Bello and it was named after his grandfather, Mohammed Bello, the first Sultan of the Sokoto Caliphate. 

Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall was named after the first President of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. Kuti Hall was named after the late Reverend Israel Oladotun Ransome Kuti. Queen Elizabeth II Hall was officially opened and named after Her Majesty, the late Queen Elizabeth II. 

Queen Idia Hall was named after the Benin Queen, Idia, who was the first woman in the Benin Kingdom to fight for women’s rights. She also led the Benin battle against Idah and was victorious. Obafemi Awolowo Hall was named after Chief Obafemi Awolowo. 

Alexander Brown Hall is a mixed hostel and it is primarily for medical students. It was named after the school’s first Professor of Medicine, the late Professor Alexander Brown.  Independence Hall was officially opened in 1961 to commemorate Nigeria’s newly gained independence then.

UI also has 2 halls of residence for postgraduate students; Tafawa Balewa Hall and Abdulsalami Abubakar Hall. Tafewa Balewa is the first postgraduate hall of residence and it was named after Sir Alhaji Tafawa Balewa. Abdulsalami Hall was donated to the University during the institution’s 50th Founder’s Day Ceremony in 1998 by Gen. (Dr.) Abdulsalami Abubakar. 

The University’s Obafemi Awolowo Hall of Residence is the largest hall of residence in West Africa. The hall is one of the University’s 3 female halls of residence although it was formerly a mixed hostel.

13. Kenneth Dike Library (KDL)

One of the many things to know about UI is that the University library was named after the university’s first vice-chancellor, Prof. Kenneth Dike. The library is generally referred to as Kenneth Dike Library or simply KDL. 

The library contains over 700,000 volumes of academic materials including textbooks, theses and journals. It also has about 1250 seats and is open to all students, staff as well as University Alumni. Additionally, it offers 24-hour e-resources services, charging and discharge services.

14. Kunle Adepeju: a student martyr

Kunle Adepeju was the first Nigerian student martyr. He was a 200-level Agricultural Economics student of the University of Ibadan who was killed by a stray bullet from a policeman’s gun during a protest in the university environs in 1971. 

It was said that Kunle did not join the protest. He was on his way to class when the protest got violent. He stopped to help an injured student when he met his Waterloo. The school’s student union building was named after him and a statue was erected in front of the building in honour of him. 

15. The University’s Assembly Hall: Trenchard Hall

One of the interesting things you should know about UI is that Assembly Hall was named after a colonial tyrant. Hugh Trenchard was a Marshal of the Royal Air Force in the early 20th century. He was a tyrant who would use brutal force to get anything he wanted. 

He would not hesitate to use deadly weapons (including bombs) on the helpless Nigerian citizens. However, the British recognised him as a great and efficient soldier and for that reason, the hall was named after him to celebrate him.

Trenchard Hall is one of the landmark symbols and is located in the heart of the University campus. All inaugural lectures and ceremonial activities of the school are carried out in the hall. The hall holds a capacity of about 1000 people.

16. Catering services

It is interesting to know that in the earlier years, each hall of residence on the University campus had its catering facilities, each with a capacity for 300 students. Following low funding from the government, the administration came up with a centralized catering service with a capacity for 1600 students in 1972. 

The food by the catering service was subsidised for students. However, they could not keep up due to an increase in the price of foodstuff and low funding from the government. The subsidy was removed in 1984. Then, they decided to adopt the pay-as-you-eat system. The hall cafeterias are now run by food contractors.

17. Distance learning (DL) programme

One of the things a lot of people do not know about UI is that it offers a distance learning programme. Even though the idea was introduced in 1972 by the Department of Adult Education, it did not start until the 1988/89 session as an external degree programme. 

The Distance Learning Centre (DLC) became an official and integral part of the institution in 2002. It now offers degree and diploma programmes in the Sciences, Social Sciences, Education and Arts.

18. Merit-based admission

Another important fact about the University of Ibadan is that, unlike many other public tertiary institutions, its admission process is merit-based. They do not give preferential treatment to Oyo State indigenes during the admission and fee payment process. 

The school accepts students from every part of the country as well as from other countries. As long as a candidate meets the requirements, admission is guaranteed.

19. Zoological and botanical gardens

One of the things you should know about UI is that it has its own zoological and botanical gardens. UI is committed to wildlife conservation and the protection of endangered animals and plant species. 

The UI zoological garden houses several wild animals, such as lions, snakes, giraffes, crocodiles, orangutans, hyenas, alligators, ostriches, etc. It also has different species of birds, monkeys, donkeys and many more.

On the other hand, the botanical gardens cover several acres of land in the University environs. It has a system of smaller gardens that are divided into the following sections:

• Orchard
• Ornamental Garden
• Children’s Garden
• Medicinal garden
• Aquatic Section
• Arboretum
• Rock Garden
• Nursery and Open Field. 

The open field is primarily for recreational purposes. It also has a herbarium where over 26,000 flowering plants are protected.

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20. Department of History

Another interesting fact about UI is that the Department of History did not produce any first-class graduates until 69 years after its inception. 

Ozibo Ekele was one of the 186 students who graduated with First Class degrees at the 2015/2016 convocation ceremonies. He graduated with a CGPA of 6.6 out of 7.0 and set a record.

21. Work-study scheme

The university fosters an entrepreneurial spirit among its students by creating a work-study scheme for them. The scheme was inaugurated in 2012 as an avenue for students to make extra income.

Some of the services under the scheme include:

• Research Assistantship
• Catering
• Laundry services
• Ushering
• Library Assistantship
• Event planning and organisation
• Receptionist, etc.

22. Notable alumni

The University of Ibadan boasts an impressive list of notable alumni who have achieved great accomplishments. Some of these alumni include:

• The Nobel Prize winner, Professor Wole Soyinka
• The current Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima
• Founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, William Kumuyi
• The renowned Nigerian novelist and poet Chinua Achebe
• First female Nigerian Vice-Chancellor (University of Benin), Grace Alele-Williams
• Africa’s first stage play director, Adebayo Faleti, and so many others.

23. World ranking

The University of Ibadan is one of the top 3 universities in Nigeria. It is the first Nigerian University to be listed in the top 1000 in the Times Higher Education Rankings. 

Currently, it ranks in the top 401-500 bracket of the Times Higher Education ranking. It is also the third-best University in Africa at the moment. It ranks at the 1138th position on the world universities ranking by Webometrics Ranking of world universities.

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24. Awba dam

Named after the Oba River by the British Government, the Awba Dam was constructed in 1964. This man-made dam is about 1 km long and 0.5 km wide. It was constructed to serve as a water reservoir for laboratory use and general domestic consumption. 

It also serves as a means to preserve the University’s fishing culture as well as encourage hydrobiology and fishery reserve projects. The dam has beautiful and cool scenery. It is one of the UItes’ favourite places to hang out.

25. Love garden

Officially known as the Gamaliel Onosode Park, Love Garden is situated in the heart of the University of Ibadan. It is such a beautiful relaxation centre surrounded by tall trees and shrubs, giving it a cool and natural look. 

The UI love garden has sitting areas where students can have picnics, chat, study and carry out other recreational activities. Love Garden, as the name implies, is not necessarily a “garden for lovers” but we will not rule out the fact that lovers/couples also go there to hang out.

Conclusion

Over the years, the University of Ibadan has grown to become one of the best schools on the continent. With its rich history, academic excellence,  dedication to research, culture preservation and inclusivity, the university continues to make a great impact in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. 

Edited by Priscilla Ajayi.

About the Author

Akorede Olawale is a graduate of Microbiology and is enthusiastic about public health. She enjoys reading, which sparked her interest in writing. Akorede also enjoys cooking and baking as well as scrolling through her favourite social media platform – Twitter.