An international institute which ranks universities across the globe, Cybermetrics Lab of Spain, has rated the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, as the best university in Nigeria, for the fifth consecutive time.

A statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of OAU, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, on Thursday, stated that the university ranking body rated the curricular, research, academic and general administration of the university as the best in the country.

Olarewaju stated that in the latest ranking, which was released on Monday, the universities of Lagos and Ilorin came second and third respectively.

Reacting to the news, the Vice Chancellor of OAU, Prof. Bamitale Omole, said this was the first time in the history of higher education in the country where one university “would maintain its position as the first and the best in the country for more than four consecutive times.”

Omole attributed the feat to years of hard work and dedication to duty of the academic, administrative and technical members of staff, “whose contributions have placed the university far and above more than 100 other universities in Nigeria.”

The statement partly read, “Prof. Omole emphasised his determination to make training and retraining of members of staff, on a regular basis, his topmost priority, adding that he would not rest on his oars until OAU becomes the best in Africa, and one of the top 10 in the world.”

Omole called on the Federal Government to invest more funds into university education in the country in order to achieve more.

The VC also called on the alumni of the university to assist the school in the overall development of the institution “so that the OAU would grow more in leaps and bounds in the realisation of the dreams of the founding fathers.”