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Oyetola Inaugurates Governing Council For University Of Ilesa
As part of his administration’s effort to ensure quick take-off of academic activities at the newly approved and licenced University of Ilesa, Osun Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, on Tuesday, inaugurated the Governing Council of the University.
The immediate past Minister of Health and Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole chairs the Council.
This is even as the Governor charged members of the Council on fairness and proactiveness towards ensuring the financial sustainability of the institution.
Members of the Governing Council are: Chief Akinwande Akinola – Pioneer General Manager, International Breweries Ltd; Professor Sola Akinrinade – Pioneer Vice Chancellor, Osun State University; Chief Bayo Jimoh,- Former Group Managing Director Odua Investment Company; Dr. Charles ‘Diji Akinola – Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State; Professor Labo Popoola Former Vice Chancellor, Osun State University.
Others are: Professor Oluyemisi Obilade – Former Vice Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education; Mr. Rasheed Sarumi-GMD, SaroAfrica; Representative of the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC); Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Osun State; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Osun State; Statutory internal members from the University as provided for in the Establishment Law, who would be added upon the take-off of the University; Prof. Kayode Ijaduola and Dr. Dada who will serve as the Council’s Secretary.
Recall that the administration of Governor Oyetola had earlier approached the State House of Assembly for the upgrade of Osun State College of Education, Ilesa to a full-fledged university after which it was approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Inaugurating members of the Governing Council, at the State Executive Council Lounge, Governor’s office, Abere, Osogbo, Governor Oyetola, said the idea of this new University had become necessary to further expand access to qualitative education, among other opportunities, for the young population.
“As a State known for excellence in all spheres, we envision a citadel of excellence that will enter the nation’s educational space as a leader in the university’s tripartite mandate of teaching, research and community service and provide competitive graduates that will transform the State’s economy in line with our Development Agenda and rule their world.
“In order to also underscore our commitment to excellence, we employed the services of KPMG to offer advisory services on the smooth take-off of the University.
“This is the profile of the University we have invited your Eminences into, believing that your individual records of distinction will deliver the excellence and internationalization that we envision.
“I, therefore, urge you to engrain in the university as employers of the staff of its staff, the principles of impeccable university governance, merit-driven appointment of staff and students’ admission, internationalization of the university, sustainable university funding to achieve self-sustainability, staff/student discipline, entrepreneurship, and stable university calendar that will sustainably rank the university as one of the globally-recognised universities.
“Just as our administration has demonstrated that delivering service in a depressed economy is doable, we charge you to demonstrate to the world that academic excellence is possible in the nation’s depressing university system”, the governor added.
Responding on behalf of members of the Governing Council, Chief Akinwande Akinola, assured of their readiness to hit the ground running.
“It is a great honour that has been bestowed on all of us to be part of the pioneer Governing Council of this great University. I am responding on behalf of the Chairman and we can assure you that you have given us an enduring legacy.
“There’s is no doubt in the fact that Mr Governor’s name will be published in gold. The upgrade of this university took us 30 years and nobody will forget what Mr. Governor has bestowed on us, and everybody is happy on this gesture.
“It will be forever written that during Oyetola’s reign, the College was upgraded. You have given us the mandate which we will deliver to the best of our ability and when you hear of the university in five years’ time, you will be happy. The university will continue to shine,” he said.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter, has raised the alarm over the resignation of more than 200 lecturers from the institution amid concerns over poor conditions of service and the non-implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement.
Chairman of ASUU-KASU, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, disclosed this at a press conference in Kaduna on Monday.
Abdullahi said the lecturers, including professors, had left the university for newer institutions within and outside Kaduna State.
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He attributed the mass exodus to poor remuneration and declining welfare conditions, noting that the situation could have serious consequences for teaching, research and academic development at the institution.
According to him, the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement, which took effect in January 2026, provided improved conditions of service for academic staff in Nigerian universities.
However, he said implementation had yet to commence at KASU, despite several letters written by the union to the university management and governing council.
He added that the Visitor to the university, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, had also been notified of the situation.
Abdullahi expressed concern that more than eight months after the agreement was signed, KASU had yet to commence implementation, while many federal universities and some state-owned institutions had already started implementing the agreement.
He said some universities had also announced timelines for the payment of accrued arrears.
The ASUU chairman said the delay had made KASU academic staff among the least-paid university workers nationwide and warned that continued inaction would lead to the accumulation of salary arrears from January 2026.
He further warned that replacing experienced academics who had left the university would take years and require significant resources.
“Replacing highly skilled academics would take years and require significant resources,” he said.
The union has consequently issued a two-week ultimatum to the Kaduna State Government and university authorities to implement and domesticate the agreement.
Abdullahi warned that failure to meet the demands within the stipulated period could result in a total and indefinite strike at the university.
He disclosed that the ASUU-KASU congress met on August 12 to review the situation and resolved to declare an industrial dispute.
According to him, the decision was consistent with a resolution of ASUU’s National Executive Council following its meeting at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9.
Beyond the implementation of the agreement, Abdullahi listed other unresolved issues affecting members of the union, including university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance coverage, wage awards and pension remittances.
He urged the relevant authorities to urgently address the issues, saying timely intervention would help preserve peace and stability within the university.
The ASUU-KASU chairman also appealed to parents and other stakeholders to support efforts to avert industrial action.
He reaffirmed the union’s commitment to pursuing its demands through lawful means and expressed hope that the government and university authorities would take concrete steps before the ultimatum expires.
Ferrari’s first fully electric car, the Luce, has made automotive history after a bespoke version of the vehicle sold for a record $40 million at a charity auction in California.
The tailor-made Ferrari Luce “Chassis 0” was sold during Monterey Car Week on Saturday, becoming the most expensive new car ever sold at auction, according to collector car auction company RM Sotheby’s.
The winning bid was 36 times the car’s original estimate of $1.1 million.
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Ferrari USA celebrated the landmark sale in an Instagram post, saying, “The bids kept climbing. Then, history was made,” while describing the transaction as a new record for the highest-priced new car ever sold at auction.
The sale comes months after Ferrari unveiled the Luce in May. The electric model features a distinctive bubble-like design that differs significantly from the Italian automaker’s traditional angular styling and has received mixed reactions from some Ferrari enthusiasts.
Ferrari previously described the Luce as “a different sort of Ferrari for a different sort of Ferrari client.”
The Luce is powered by four electric motors, with one motor driving each of its four wheels.
The exclusive “Chassis 0” features a pearl-like semi-gloss finish with a personalised pigment that produces changing reflections ranging from green to violet when struck by light.
Its interior is equally distinctive, featuring Perla Le Mans metallic leather and black design elements against a predominantly white background.
Ferrari said proceeds from the record-breaking auction will go to The Ferrari Foundation to support educational initiatives.
Following the auction, the vehicle will return to Maranello, northern Italy, where it was built, before being delivered to the unnamed winning bidder in the first quarter of 2027.
Meanwhile, deliveries of the regular Ferrari Luce, priced at about €550,000 ($640,000), are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has sensitised 100 staff members of the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), Maiduguri, Borno State, on the need to uphold integrity, accountability and transparency in public service.
The Commission disclosed this via its X account on Monday, following a one-day anti-corruption education workshop organised at the institute’s conference hall.
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The programme, themed “Promoting Integrity, Accountability, and Transparency in Public Service: The Role of Staff in Combating Corruption,” was aimed at equipping the institute’s workforce with knowledge of ethical standards and corruption prevention strategies.
Speaking during the programme, the Executive Director of the Lake Chad Research Institute, Professor Babagana Kabir, reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to transparency and collaboration with anti-corruption agencies.
Kabir urged staff to embrace professionalism and integrity, warning that corruption undermines institutional effectiveness, research development and public confidence in government institutions.
The Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Mr Linus Gubbi, highlighted the strategic importance of the Lake Chad Research Institute to Nigeria’s socio-economic development, particularly its contributions to agricultural research, crop improvement and land-use strategies that affect food security across the Lake Chad Basin.
Gubbi warned that vital public research could not thrive in an environment affected by corrupt practices.
He noted that when public resources, research grants or administrative processes are compromised through favouritism, procurement irregularities or financial opacity, citizens who depend on the institute’s innovations ultimately suffer the consequences.
The RACC stressed that the fight against corruption is not the sole responsibility of anti-corruption agencies but a collective duty that begins with individual public officers.
A lead paper titled “Anti-Corruption and Work Ethics in Organisations” was presented by ACS Abba Dzikwi.
The presentation examined the legal framework for combating corruption, various forms of corrupt practices in public institutions and the consequences of unethical conduct.
It also emphasised the importance of strong work ethics to organisational efficiency, effective service delivery and national development.
Participants subsequently engaged the ICPC team during an interactive question-and-answer session, seeking clarification on reporting mechanisms, whistleblowing procedures and the Commission’s mandate.
The ICPC team reiterated the importance of confidentiality in handling corruption reports.
Gubbi also encouraged the institute to strengthen its internal controls and transparency mechanisms, assuring the management of the Commission’s readiness to provide guidance and support for institutional integrity initiatives.
In his concluding remarks, he urged participants to go beyond merely receiving the sensitisation and instead put the lessons into practice by challenging unethical practices and promoting a culture of service that reflects the highest standards of the Nigerian Public Service.
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