Jarus:
My honest take on ABU-OAU debate.

AESTHETICS: I have been to both school. I finished from OAU, have a sister that finished from ABU, but had also been to OAU, and confirmed OAU is more beautiful. I think OAU is better. OAU has more eye-popping structures, ABU structures are mostly ordinary, but I think they do well in terms of maintenance of their environment, lawns etc. If OAU was how it was when I left in 2006, I will say ABU has better maintenace culture. But I was there again last year and saw that they've really improved in that aspect too. I was surprised to see the lawns better maintained, etc. We should also not forget that OAU lays claim to being the most beautiful university in Africa unchallenged(and used to be actually, until recently when it becomes arguable). If it wasn't, this epithet would not have survived for so long. In fact, it was rated the 25th most beautiful estate in the world in 1985 or so. We can not say all these are just hype by OAU alumni. It must have substance for it to have endured so long. I think it is only in this our generation that the comparison begins to surface. Over all, I think OAU beats ABU in terms on beauty.

LAND MASS: I used to think OAU had the biggest land mass, but I have been confronted with convincing evidence to give this to ABU. Although, this cannot be confirmed by just mere visit that I did, but I think wiki entry is sufficient. Wiki says ABu has the largest land mass. Mohammed Haruna, the Nation columnist, also described it as such in his tribute to ABU at 50. Another testimony to the fact that OAU trumps ABU in terms of beauty is, all articles that eulogise ABU with great superlatives, from wiki entry to Mohammed Haruna's tribute to school's official articles, did not mention it as being the most beautiful, but conveniently hammered on it being the largest in sub-saharan Africa. It is only in informal gossips like this that we compare ABU with OAU in terms of beauty. Also, I don't think OAU students dispute ABU having a larger land mass. So, it is indisputable that ABU trumps OAU in land mass.

ALUMNI: I think ABU and UNN have the richest alumni list in Nigeria. But the reason is actually no brainer: While the North and east had respectively ABU and UNN only in the golden generation of scholarship in Nigeria (60's-70's), the West had UI, Unilag and OAU to share its bright minds. So, taken individually, I think ABU has the most intimidating list of alumni in Nigeria, followed by UNN, and then by UI, Unilag and Ife in no order. The first graduate president of Nigeria, Yar'adua, for example, is an ABU alumnus. I don't want to start rolling out others, but I am personally convinced ABU trumped OAU in terms of intimidating alumni

RECENT PRODUCTS: As is evidenced from this thread where products of OAU and ABU are murdering grammar in an embarrassing fashion, it is obvious that both schools, like many other Nigerian schools, are losing it. I am a product of OAU and of course know many very sound products of OAU of my generation, but I know very good guys from ABU too, smart guys.

ACADEMICS: I think down here, we underrate ABU. Forget about Boko Haram, forget about the general perception about the north, ABU has always been and is still in the same class with the UIs, OAUs, UNNs and Unilags of the south. I have studied products of the school and I make bold to say they compete well with us.

Conclusion: I did my first degree in OAU. I am a great fan of OAU and believe OAU brings out your potential more than any other school in Nigeria. If I were to do first degree again, I will still easily choose OAU. I may not be able to argue that OAU is the best school in Nigeria, but if I were to advise younger ones, I will tell them to try OAU, not only because of what they will learn in classes but what they will learn beyond classes on campus campus. But ABU ranks second in terms of my personal respect. They have very quality lecturers. I wont mind taking a second degree in ABU.

Olugbenger:

Oga mi, these guys are just quite stubborn and unrepentant. They had to degrade OAU just to drive silly facts and score cheaps points.


It's fun doing this.

Chartey:
Chemistry Dept. "Sea never dry" at the far left.

Ruxy_G: lol......after spending ages to regroup, here u r, blabbering as usual

donfemo: The largest and the best in south saharan Africa! So great, so unique! An ABU graduate is naturally ahead!

Olugbenger:

Oga mi, these guys are just quite stubborn and unrepentant. They had to degrade OAU just to drive silly facts and score cheaps points.


It's fun doing this.

Mogten: LOL @degrade. Funny how in an attempt to glorify your school, you make it sound like ABU is some second rated institution to it. Looks like you're using this thread to massage your already inflated ego. You're the benefactor after all. Clap for yourself.

lafex: Am proud to be an ABU alumnus. But why my faculty(engineering) not in the pics

dejt4u:
dindinrin aburo oloshi. Book naa da. U+ur family nd all d professors in ur dept cannt pass if i set IQ test for u. slowpoke.

Prove me wrong by acceptin my challenge here on nairaland. Infact, i dnt tink ur IQ can reach upto 70%

Olugbenger:

Go to the first page of this thread and read through the posts of your folks from ABU. You should have a rethink.

Olugbenger:

Now i know this is prevalent in ABU's products.

I've been vindicated.

benebaby77:
see d way u killed english here.... U surely emblem of your school. You will still battling with GENS 103 if u are in ABU

Chartey: Fine Arts students and graduates please who sculpted this? It's in your faculty.

Chartey: Fine Arts students and graduates please who sculpted this? It's in your faculty.

mathematician: Did you notice that,most of the so called alumni are the corrupt ploticians we are battling today, GREAT IFE, UNILAG, UI have produced outstanding academic individuals

Barrack obama: festus uzzi(phd)

Chartey:
The Senate building

Chartey:
The Senate building

x-kid2000:
An Abusite should please ''google'' ''The most beautiful university in Nigeria'' and see what wikipedia said about O.A.U.. Shhhh!!! The Boss is Here!

Cmfrt001: yes ooo an ABU student is naturally ahead as we lead and others follow. *school on my mind*. My problem now is that why was my department not captured na? No ABU without the department of political science & international studies and the faculty of social science as a whole.

Chartey:
Honestly ABU is that neat. When i first got here during harmattan, i joked i could just take pics of myself in a cardigan and send them to my friends lying that i was in Ukraine and they would believe. There are beautiful trees and flowers all around and there are hordes of cleaners and gardeners in every nook and cranny of the school keeping it clean every day. Just come and see for yourself dear.