Skip to main content

MATRICULATION ADDRESSS BY THE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR THE NEWLY ADMITTED STUDENTS FOR THE 2017/2018 SESSION HELD ON FRIDAY, 4 MAY, 2018 AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE

MATRICULATION ADDRESSS BY THE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR THE NEWLY ADMITTED STUDENTS FOR THE 2017/2018 SESSION HELD ON FRIDAY, 4 MAY, 2018 AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE

Protocol

The Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Administration)

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships)

The Registrar,

The University Librarian

Deans of Faculties, the Postgraduate School and of Students

Directors of Institutes and Centres

The Chairman, Senate Admissions Committee

All Deputy Registrars

The Admissions Officer (Undergraduate)

Distinguished members of the University Community

Distinguished Fresh Students

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

PREAMBLE

 

It is indeed another happy moment for me to welcome you all our fresh students to Nigeria’s Premier University, the University of Ibadan. I join all well-wishers to welcome you and to congratulate you on your success in gaining admission into one of the best universities in Africa. I have no doubt that you must have become the toast of all eyes in your neighbourhood having been offered admission to the Great U.I.

 

Some 41 years ago, I too was privileged to have been admitted into this highly rated University. I was exceedingly elated, greatly delighted and passionately prepared for the intellectual rigour that lay ahead as a student of Geology in the Faculty of Science of this University. And to the glory of God things have never remained the same for me. My parents taught me the virtues of hard work, honesty and diligence at a very early age and these have stood me in good stead. I believe your individual experiences must have even been more exciting than mine.

 

Admission Statistics

 

As I congratulate you I would wish to remind you that you have just attained an uncommon feat, having been admitted into this institution of global reckoning. You must count yourselves very lucky, in the sense that you are part of the select few to have scaled the fiercely competitive U.I. admission process.  I also congratulate your parents and guardians for your achievements thus far.

 

May I provide you with some relevant admission statistics here:

 

There were a total of fifty three thousand, five hundred and thirteen Unified Tertiary Matriculation –UTME- candidates (53,513) who made the University of Ibadan their first choice and who scored a minimum of 120 marks out of a maximum of 400 marks, during the 2017/2018 session admission exercise.

 

Going by our tradition, the first step was to screen out those candidates with less than 200 marks. From the Science-based disciplines, we had sixteen thousand, one hundred and twenty four (16,124) while the humanity-based disciplines had ten thousand, four hundred and forty five (10.445). The total number of candidates for the post-UTME screening was twenty six thousand, seven hundred and sixty nine (26, 769).

 

At the end of the successful POST-UTME screening exercise, five thousand, three hundred and ninety seven (5.397) candidates in the science-based disciplines obtained 50% and above while three thousand, eight hundred and seventy one (3.871) in the humanity-based disciplines obtained 50% and above.

 

The four candidates with the best grades in our post-UTME screening; were from Medicine and Law (with a joint score of 86%) and Technology and Medical Laboratory Science (with a joint score of 84%).

 

Our system of screening was rigorous and we are very proud of it because we firmly believe that if it is from Ibadan it must be of outstanding quality. Some of the candidates who were not satisfied with the scores they obtained at the POST-UTME Screening requested for a re-assessment. All the 26 candidates who paid the mandatory reassessment fees were reevaluated. It was observed that there was no deviation from the original grades returned by the system, thus proving our internal mechanism to be highly reliable.

 

The normal admission meetings at the Faculties were conducted before the strike action commencement of the three non-teaching staff unions in November 2017. Hence, all candidates on the first choice were recommended on merit. There was a change of operation in the 2017/2018 admissions; no university can admit a candidate . We can only propose to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) after stating our criteria on the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) of the JAMB, who will in turn contact candidates to accept or decline the offer. When candidates have accepted, they are then offered admission on the basis of our criteria.

 

As at the end of the 2017/2018 admission exercise, three thousand, five hundred and fourteen (3,514) UTME candidates were offered admission.

 

From the above, the success rate for admission here is only 6.6%. In other words, only one out of every 15 of our UTME candidates eventually secured admission. To that extent you are privileged. Your hard work has finally paid off.

 

On the other hand, there were two thousand, six hundred and fifty nine (2,659), direct entry applicants out of which four hundred and forty six (446) candidates were able to secure admission. This represents a success rate of 16.8%.

 

Those candidates who participated in the Post UTME but failed to secure admission were not recommended for admission for various reasons which include, poor performance at the Post UTME, wrong subject combination (at either UTME or SSCE/NECO) and the admission quota for each course of study based on our carrying capacity.  It is heartwarming and significant to note that all the candidates we recommended to JAMB were accepted for admission.

 

I am persuaded of the very high quality of our intakes, on account of the rigorous and transparent admission process. It is much easier for the camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a UTME applicant to secure admission into this institution. We make bold to state here that our admission is easily the most competitive among all the universities in the Nigerian University System.

 

With these statistics, I guess by now you would have become conscious of how bright and lucky you must have been. In other words, to have been qualified for admission into this University, you must have been found academically sound indeed, because for all I know, there is no short cut to getting admitted into this University.

 

A summary of the number of candidates admitted into the various undergraduate programmes for the 2017/2018 session is presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Admission Statistics of Undergraduate Candidates Admitted into the University of Ibadan during the 2017/2018 Session. Through Direct Entry (DE) and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)

 

FACULTY / Programmes

DE

UTME

TOTAL

AGRICULTURE

61

180

241

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

9

44

53

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

15

27

42

AGRONOMY

13

36

49

ANIMAL SCIENCE

14

37

51

CROP PROTECTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY

10

36

46

ARTS

40

580

620

ANTHROPOLOGY

 

30

30

ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

3

3

6

ARCHAEOLOGY

 

38

38

CLASSICAL STUDIES

 

44

44

COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE ARTS

6

53

59

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

7

57

64

FRENCH

3

18

21

GERMAN

 

22

22

HISTORY

 

43

43

ISLAMIC STUDIES

5

18

23

LINGUISTICS

3

42

45

MUSIC

2

23

25

PHILOSOPHY

4

61

65

RELIGIOUS STUDIES

2

41

43

RUSSIAN

 

11

11

THEATRE ARTS

3

50

53

YORUBA

2

26

28

COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

46

535

581

BIOCHEMISTRY

4

77

81

BIOMEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE

4

51

55

DENTISTRY

3

35

38

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE

 

26

26

HUMAN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS

6

57

63

MEDICINE AND SURGERY

14

145

159

NURSING SCIENCE

7

37

44

PHYSIOLOGY

3

72

75

PHYSIOTERAPHY

5

35

40

EDUCATION

94

597

691

ADULT EDUCATION

6

68

74

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

1

32

33

EDU/BIO

 

4

4

EDU/CHE

7

11

18

EDU/CLA

 

10

10

EDU/ECO

5

11

16

EDU/ENG

2

12

14

EDU/FRE

 

8

8

EDU/GEO

5

5

10

EDU/HIS

3

22

25

EDU/IRS

3

9

12

EDU/MAT

4

19

23

EDU/PHY

8

4

12

EDU/POS

4

17

21

EDU/RES

2

23

25

EDU/YOR

2

16

18

EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT

13

68

81

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

7

71

78

HEALTH EDUCATION

2

38

40

HUMAN KINETICS

2

43

45

LIBRARY, ARCHIVAL AND INFORMATION STUDIES

7

56

63

SPECIAL EDUCATION

11

50

61

LAW

18

147

165

LAW

18

147

165

RENEWABLE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

52

126

178

AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

14

40

54

FOREST PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTS

14

33

47

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FOREST

14

21

35

WILDLIFE AND ECOTOURISM MANAGEMENT

10

32

42

SCIENCE

50

581

631

ANTHROPOLOGY

 

7

7

ARCHAEOLOGY

 

19

19

BOTANY

1

46

47

CHEMISTRY

3

68

71

COMPUTER SCIENCE

13

56

69

GEOGRAPHY

1

17

18

GEOLOGY

5

47

52

INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY

 

33

33

MATHEMATICS

6

67

73

MICROBIOLOGY

4

48

52

PHYSICS

4

59

63

STATISTICS

13

55

68

ZOOLOGY

 

59

59

TECHNOLOGY

55

321

376

AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

7

40

47

CIVIL ENGINEERING

7

41

48

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

7

45

52

FOOD TECHNOLOGY

16

43

59

INDUSTRIAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

5

38

43

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

7

50

57

PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

4

35

39

WOOD PRODUCTS ENGINEERING

2

29

31

THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

21

357

378

ECONOMICS

4

71

75

GEOGRAPHY

 

78

78

POLITICAL SCIENCE

7

69

76

PSYCHOLOGY

2

62

64

SOCIOLOGY

8

77

85

VETERINARY MEDICINE

9

90

99

VETERINARY MEDICINE

9

90

99

Grand Total

446

3,514

3960

 

 

As you are probably aware of, out of the total of 2,998 students who were in the 100 level last session, 328 of them (representing 10.9%) were advised to withdraw from this University. That one out of every nine students in that cohort was asked to withdraw was easily the worst performance recorded here in the last 12 years. We pray that your set will perform much better that the students in that cohort who did not take any POST-UTME before they were admitted. The pass mark in any of your courses is 45% as against 40% up till the 2015/2016 session. Moreover, you need to pass a minimum of 24 units at the end of the 100 level as against a minimum of 20 units hitherto. Some programmes such as those in the College of Medicine, Technology and Veterinary Medicine even require much higher threshold to retain your studentship. In other words, the standard is rising and you are, therefore, expected to work diligently and consistently throughout the session.

It is our prayer that, at the end of your first year of study, none of you will be asked to withdraw from the University. 

 

REVIEW OF GRADING SYSTEM IN NIGERIA IN UNIVERSITIES

The Senate of the University of Ibadan, at its meeting of 18 July, 2016 approved the new Grading System and Minimum Units to be registered for and passed by students at each level of study, as well as change in status of General Studies Courses.  A Comparison between the old and the new regulations is shown in the Table 2.

Table 2: Comparison of the Old and New Regulations

Item

Old Regulation

New Regulations

-      Minimum pass mark in a course

40%

45%

-      Minimum number of Units to pass after first year to remain in the University

20

24

-      Minimum number of Units to pass at the end of the second year to remain in the University

45

48

 

-      Minimum number of Units to pass at the end of third year to remain in the University

70

72

 

 

The University of Ibadan, in compliance with an extant regulation of the National Universities Commission (NUC) has introduced a new grading system starting with the intakes of 2016/2017 session.  The kernel of the new grading system is as follows in Table 3:

 

 

 

 

 

Table 3: Grading of Scores and Grade Point Calculation

 

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

(v)

Credit Units

Percentage Scores

Letter Grades

Grade Point (GP)

Grade Point Average (GPA)

Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

Vary according to contact hours assigned to each course per week per semester and according to student workload

70-100

 

 

A

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

60-69

 

 

 

B

3

Derived by multiplying (i) and (iv) and dividing by total Credit Units

Derived by multiplying (i) and (iv) and dividing by total Credit Units for Courses registered till date

 

50-59

C

2

 

 

 

45-49

D

1

 

 

 

0 - 44

E

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 4 shows the degree classification based on CGPA.

 

Table 4 Degree classification based on CGPA

CUMMULATIVE GRADE POINT

CLASS OF DEGREEE

-      3.5 -4.00

First

-      3.0-3.49

Second Class (Upper)

-      2.0-2.99

Second Class )Lower)

-      1.0-1.99

Third Class

-      <1.0

Fail

 

In the meantime, the National Universities Commission has abolished the pass Degree from the grading and classification of degrees.  The minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) required by a student for graduation is now 1.0.

 

This common grading system will surely facilitate inter-University credit transfer and students’ mobility, both within and outside the country.  The review will not only facilitate curriculum design within the University, it will also foster inter-departmental and inter-disciplinary collaboration. It will equally minimize duplication, thereby enhancing understanding, by the outside world, of the grading system in Nigeria Universities for the purpose of engaging Nigerian University graduates.

 

Now that you are here

 

Our dear students, may I remind you of a few of the requisites of a student desirous of earning the prestigious degree certificate of the University of Ibadan. They include:

 

  • Intelligence, Innovation and Creativity
  • Academic Focus
  • Sustained Robust Health
  • Obedience to Constituted Authorities
  • Regular and Punctual Attendance at Lectures
  • Commitment to Submitting Assignments at all times
  • Writing all your Continuous Assessment Tests
  • Avoiding Undesirable Associations and groups
  • Avoiding Examination Malpractices
  • Avoiding any act that may be interpreted to be a violation of your matriculation oath
  • Diligence and Commitment
  • C.T. Compliance
  • Religious Tolerance

As much as we are aware of these qualities, so are we mindful of the roles we should play to assist you to actualize your aspirations.   On our part, we shall not relent in our efforts to provide and improve on the existing facilities to ensure a conducive environment for teaching and learning.         

                                                                  

As undergraduates, you are no longer under the prying eyes of your parents, but take caution, watch the friends you keep, beware of unsolicited assistance and do not compromise your stand.   You are bound to come across people of diverse culture, race, religion and social class, and you are expected to relate with them as nicely as possible. As future leaders, you must learn to accommodate this diversity as much as possible for peaceful co-existence.

 

My dear new students, I have no doubt in my mind that you are aware of the numerous challenges that lie ahead of you. You can make it, and you will make it! 

 

Before I conclude, I wish to urge you not to engage in any form of cooking in your rooms. The use of boiling ring, hot plate, gas cooker etc will not be tolerated in the halls. Anyone found flouting this rule will be queried and arraigned before the Student Disciplinary Committee (SDC). The University management has resuscitated the cafeteria system where you can get decent meals at affordable rates.

 

Let me also admonish you to always call at the Student Affairs Division when in distress or in need of any important information. In addition, endeavour to check the University Official Bulletin (online or offline) and be conversant with your handbook which should be your companion for important information always.

 

I implore you to register for your courses as soon as possible. Avail yourself a copy of the Students’ Information Handbook and be familiar with the regulations governing your conduct as a student. Try to register at the University Health Service immediately and do not take your health for granted. Try to sort out your accommodation as soon as possible. As new students, you are given preference in the allocation of bed spaces in the Halls.

 

This session is starting seven months behind schedule due to the cumulative effects of strikes by staff unions and student unrest over the past 11 years. We should join hands to ensure that this new session is not interrupted again. From the academic calendar, we are to conclude the session by February 2019!

 

This University has a proven track record of academic excellence, a trusted, and tested solid reputation for the quality of her graduates over the years.  You are earnestly advised to jealously guard and maintain the culture.  I also urge you to get involved in positive student activities that would enable the University to pass through you, so that at the end of your academic career you would have evolved into a rounded personality that is worthy in character and learning and with a better perception of life’s values. Please bear in mind that success in a race is not determined at the starting point but at the end, which will hopefully be in another three years (in case of Direct Entry Students) four, five or six years’ time depending on the courses of study for undergraduate programmes and two or four years for postgraduate programmes.

 

 

Drug abuse and your studentship

 

I will now reiterate what matriculating students have been consistently told over the couple of years and thus, reinforce what you have been told about cultism, during your orientation programme.  Cultism is evil and those who associate themselves with it are evil.  You must therefore, as of necessity, be wary of the association you keep.  You must be careful in honouring invitations to social or religious gatherings of doubtful identify/character or before you register as a member of a group with cloudy orientation.  Female students should avoid walking alone in isolated areas, especially at night.  You should all be security conscious at all times, and report immediately, any matter which may require immediate security attention. 

 

The cultists camouflage in different colours to recruit members. You should be security conscious at all times and if you have any inclination that you are being lured, harassed or threatened, do not hesitate to report to the University Administration through my office, the Dean of students, Hall Masters/Mistresses and Wardens, HODs or Deans of your Faculties as well as Security Unit.  The Chairman, Directorate of Social Orientation (CENSO) is also available in this regard. Please feel free to approach me or any other members of the University Administration for counselling and assistance.

 

Students are urged to shun cultism, violence and criminal conducts which are inimical to the development of society.

 

Drug abuse and its attendant consequences among young people is a global phenomenon. Nigerian youths are not an exception. The use of prescription only drugs has been reported to have reached an epidemic proportion in some parts of the country. While drug use itself is not new and could range from socially acceptable drugs to illicit drugs, current trends of use of a bouquet of drugs by an individual and earlier age of onset of use calls for concern.

 

Years past, the common drugs used by young people were Alcohol and Tobacco (cigarette) with occasional reports of the use of Canabis (Igbo) by eccentric individuals. Nowadays, alcohol and cigarette have maintained their place in order of use, more disturbingly is the uptake of new drugs by the young population. These seemingly “clean drugs” have effects that are as devastating, perhaps more devastating than the old drugs.

 

I am certain you know more about the new “clean” drugs more than I do, however for the records I will mention a few: Codeine in cough syrup, Tramadol, Rohypnol, Ecstacy (a form of Methamphetamine) and various grades and mixtures of cannabis (skunk, Colorado, Arizona and Skoochie).

 

The dangers associated with the use of these drugs are numerous. Academic performance suffers greatly from the use of these drugs and graduating with a decent grade may be incompatible with regular drug use. A student might find himself or herself sleeping through lecture periods while under the influence of the drugs or unable to report for examinations as well.

 

These drugs have direct toxic effect on the brain causing reversible (sometimes irreversible) damages to the brain which may manifest as Seizures in a previously non epileptic young person. The assault on the brain may also cause a young person to become suddenly psychotic manifesting by seeing and talking to unseen people and behaving abnormally. Other organs of the body also take a hit from the drugs especially the liver and kidney.

 

Sudden death from respiratory depression in overdose is not uncommon while accidents while under the influence may cause death indirectly. I pray that we will not lose anyone of you to death in the course of your sojourn on this campus.

 

In view of the above I will strongly advise that you avoid the use of any these drugs by all possible means. In the event that you feel unwell for any reason, please visit the University Clinic as some individuals have been unwittingly recruited by friends/peers who offer them such drugs for the treatment of pain or headaches.

 

For those who may have started, I will advise you quit as soon as possible. I will encourage you to approach our trained personnel (Nurses, Doctors and Social workers) and other counsellors at the University Health Services to help you achieve abstinence and set you on the path of recovery. The Youth Friendly Centre may also be visited to discuss any issue you may be going through that may negatively impact on your academic performance.

 

Data from the University Health Service indicate that in the past four years the Wednesday (Mental Health) clinic has 174 registered students who are seen on monthly basis with 16 of them being substance ( drug) abuse related. Some of these 16 students have ceased to be students due to expulsion; poor academic performance or  misconduct. Currently, four are being supported by the university on a drug treatment plan.

 

People abuse substances for various reasons but for the  majority in this age group  experimentation is the entry point; this can lead  to addiction and its attendant physical, mental and other social problems. Prevention is cost effective. Early recognition increases the  chances for successful treatment

 

Drug related problems hurt the individual and the people around them ruining health, relationships, finances and properties. Unfortunately, in a worst case scenario a death was recorded last year in this university when a 17-year old female student died a drug related incident as indicated from postmortem and toxicology findings.

 

The university in collaboration with other organizations including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has put in place a programme to assist students with substance abuse issues.

 

Dr Victor Makanjola, a Senior Lecturer and Consultant Psychiarist  in our College of Medicine currently working with other stakeholders in the University to evolve a drug policy for our institution. It is my hope that we will evolve a model that does NOT exclude young persons who may have stumbled from University Education as is the current practice in some private Universities. This effort is spearheaded by the Director of the University Health Service, Dr. Olufemi Akingbola. 

 

Dr Makanjola will be training the staff at Jaja next week on counselling and motivating young people to quit drug use while providing back up to them for more difficult cases through our existing referral system. Acknowledging and confronting a problem is always a better approach than driving it underground by criminalising it or enacting punitive measures already proven to be ineffective.

 

What should you say Yes to?

There are many billboards boldly placed at strategic locations on the Campus, warning you to ‘Say No to drugs’ and ‘Say No to Cultism’. I often wonder aloud about what you should say yes.

 

I implore you to say YES to the following if you are convinced beyond every reasonable doubt:

  • Positive role models
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Enterpreneurship
  • Youth empowerment and
  • Leadership

 

In the next few weeks, we shall erect new billboards to indicate these positive attributes. A consideration of this largely informed the decision of the University six years ago to include a Matriculation Lecture as part of the induction of mew students into this academic community. The Matriculation Lecturer for this year is no less a person than a 1981 Alumnus who is currently the Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC, Dr Biodun Sogunle. As you will be duly informed in a short while by the University Orator, he read Agronomy at this university and through a dint of hard work, focus and perseverance he has reached the top.

 

Hostel Accommodation

To ease the problem of accommodation of students on campus, Management has adopted the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) initiative on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement. While some companies are being expected to commence building, one of such projects was commissioned recently. It has three hundred and twenty eight bed spaces. This female hostel by C.M.F. Angels Gardens Limited is within the new Students’ Village, near Obafemi Awolowo Hall.

 

Closing remarks

 

At the end of this ceremony, you are expected to sign the Matriculation Register. I want to stress that signing of the register is the concluding stage of your registration as a bonafide student of this University. Thereafter, prospective admission seekers and their naturally eager parents and guardians should be on the look-out for the flag-off of the next admission of the 2018/2019 exercise.

 

My prayer is that each and every one of you new students will successfully complete your degree programme and move on to greater things in life. My charge to you this morning is that you have to surpass the modest achievements of those of us who have had the privilege to pass through this university as students before you. You have to take your destiny in your hands.

 

I wish to conclude by asking you to put God first in everything you do and be diligent in all your dealings.

 

I heartily welcome you to this university and I wish you every success as you commence your academic career. Accept my best wishes and congratulations.

I thank you all for listening.

 

Idowu Olayinka

Vice-Chancellor

 

04 May, 2018