The Development of the University

The University has a land area of about 5,605 hectares out of which 1,012 hectares have been developed as the central campus,1214 hectares set aside for the Teaching and Research Farm, and another 2,023 hectares earmarked for Commercial Farm. An additional area of approximately 6,256 hectares along the Ife/Ede Roadwas also acquired.

The first movement to the permanent site at Ile-Ife was on 29th January, 1967 when 500 students of the Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Law came into residence. The Faculty of Agriculture and the Departments of Botany and Zoology moved to Ile-Ife in January 1968.

The Faculty of Pharmacy followed in 1972. The Faculty of Law also moved into its own building on October 14, 1981, while the Faculty of Social Sciences moved into its building in September 1982. The Library building has been in use since October 1, 1969. An extension to the Library was completed and occupied in 1982.

The Faculty of Science buildings were completed in 1970. It now accommodates the Department of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Electronics and Electrical Engineering. The Department of Geology has its own building which it has occupied since 1974.

The Sports Centre has been progressively developed. Additional students’ hostels have been completed to facilitate accommodation of students on campus. An ultra-modern Conference Centre and Guest Houses has also been completed and is currently being expanded.

The attractive and spacious buildings of the Department of Biological Sciences and Pre-Clinical Sciences were completed and occupied at the beginning of the 1974/75 session. The buildings of the Faculty of Administration and the Central Administration Secretariat – the University Hall - were ready for occupation during the long vacation in 1974, and are now in full use. The Indoor Sports hall, the Students Union Building, the Department of Food Science and Technology Building, the Chemical Engineering buildings and the Staff Canteen were also completed in 1974, and have since been in full use.

The Assembly hall, otherwise known as “Oduduwa Hall” was completed during the year 1976. The College of Health Sciences buildings were completed and occupied in 1978 while the University Teaching Centre, now known as Ajose Lecture Theatre, was completed and put to use in 1987.

The Power Station was commissioned in 1977. The Opa Dam and Water Works was commissioned in December 1980. The construction of a one million gallon water reservoir was completed subsequently.

The Akintola Hall, the Computer Science and Engineering Building Complex and the Civil Engineering Building Complex are among the more recent developments. The Central Science Laboratory was commissioned in 2000 and the Institute of Cultural Studies building in 2001. The new Environmental Design and Management Buildings have been virtually completed and are in use, remaining only the external works. Two blocks of the Mathematics and First Year Laboratory Building have also been completed, leaving only the last block.

In 2008, the University has commenced the development of its northern boundary with the completion of three 500-Capacity Lecture theatres being used by the Centre for Distance Learning for its Pre-Degree and other programmes. On the main campus, a 500-capacity lecture theatre donated by First Bank Plc has been completed and is ready for use. Other projects that have beautifully impacted the landscape of the University include the 1000-capacity Lecture theatre sited close to the Department of Architecture and Moremi Hall, the Post Graduate College Building donated by an Alumnus, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim and the Natural History Museum Building being completed by the Leventis Foundation of London.

The University runs a two semester system (i.e Harmattan Semester from last week of September to Mid-February of the succeeding year; and Rain Semester from last week of February to first week of July of the succeeding year). Accommodation comprising some 10,000 bed spaces is provided for male undergraduate students in four Halls of Residence (i.e Awolowo, Fajuyi, Angola and ETF halls); and for female undergraduates in Moremi, Mozambique, Akintola and Alunmi Halls of Residence. The Postgraduate Students are accommodated in the Murtala Mohammed Hall and there is a Clinical Students’ Hostel at the grounds of the University Teaching Hospital.

A new strategic plan for the period 2010 to 2015 is being completed to replace the earlier one that had been in operation since 2004. The strategic plan of the University gives prority to harnessing and adapting modern technologies in the effectuation of its objectives. It also emphasizes the concept of the omoluabi which entails hard work, integrity, public spiritedness, and an honour code comparable to the best in the world. The University has thus continued to strive for excellence in keeping faith with its objectives. It has also continued to place great emphasis on keeping pace with modern technological developments. In this respect, the Obafemi Awolowo University has the best-developed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) system in the country, with its own VSAT access to the internet and a very efficient intranet. The University has in its effort at ensuring the efficiency of the intra and internet facilities upgraded the bandwidth capacity with the help of the World Bank STEP-B Project. The University has also embarked on the progressive application of ICT to all its functions and services – academic, research and administration. The University is continually evolving in response to the needs of the Nation and the international community.

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