https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ3mgNs0qEo

Professor Ishaq Oloyede expressed his opinion on the long-standing debate regarding the first university to be established in Nigeria. During his speech at the Valedictory lecture of Professor Benjamin Ozumba, he brought up the issue and stated that there is no historical dispute that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was the first university in Nigeria.

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, expressed his opinion on the long-standing debate regarding the first university to be established in Nigeria. During his speech at the Valedictory lecture of Professor Benjamin Ozumba, he brought up the issue and stated that there is no historical dispute that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was the first university in Nigeria.

The Registrar clarified that the University of Ibadan was not established before UNN, as it was only a University College at the time. "When someone say this is the first university in Nigeria, nobody in history can dispute it because it was the first university. University of Ibadan was not established before UNN, what we had was University college. You cannot write about the history of universities in West Africa without talking about UNN", he asserted.

Expanding his discourse, Professor Oloyede extended scrutiny to the rivalry between the University of Ibadan and the University of Ghana, both vying for the title of West Africa's premier university. He debunked their assertions, labeling them as "mere colleges" upon establishment. Highlighting a pivotal distinction, he elucidated that graduates from these institutions were categorized as external candidates, signifying their affiliation with the University of London rather than with their purported alma maters.

Further, Professor Oloyede's statement aimed to educate and provide clarity on the issue, rather than to patronize UNN. He emphasized that UNN was the first full-fledged university in Nigeria, and this fact cannot be disputed historically.

Source: https://myschoolnews.ng/jamb-registrar-prof-ishaq-oloyede-take-on-which-is-the-first-university-in-nigeria

There is no need to ever debate with these people over anything again. What's really going on with them is inferiority complex. So Oloyede is now the only organ in Nigeria to decide which university is the best in this country.
Why should some set of people hold unto irrelevance like this and majority of them called themselves educated elites.
If UNN is the first and best in Nigeria then where is University of Ibadan? We should just let these people be. They are truly myopic in nature.

COMRADES, how this one come be news

Everyone knows already



UNN was found by the then Nigerian president in 1965 but commenced academic activities in 1960 just to mark the nation's independence. Then UI was still an appendage of the University of London and not a full-fledged University like UNN...



UI became a full university in 1962, two years after UNN.

Zico5:
There is no need to ever debate with these people over anything again. What's really going on with them is inferiority complex. So Oloyede is now the only organ in Nigeria to decide which university is the best in this country.
Why should some set of people hold unto irrelevance like this and majority of them called themselves educated elites.
If UNN is the first and best in Nigeria then where is University of Ibadan? We should just let these people be. They are truly myopic in nature.

They are trying to enlighten you but your ignorance and innate bigot will not let you to learn...



Come and rewrite history na.

Melagros:
COMRADES, how this one come be news

It's news because some ignorant people have been peddling the falsehood that University of Ibadan is the first University in Nigeria...



UI was just an affiliate of another school, the certificate awarded then didn't come from Ibadan but London. But UNN started awarding a Nigerian certificate immediately after its first convocation in 1963/64... UNN is the only university in Nigeria that is certificate is awarded with Nigeria (covering the whole country) unlike others which their certificate is awarded based on the city they are domiciled. For example, you will see BSc (Nig.) for UNN, BSc (Ibadan or Ib) for UI, BSc (Owerri) for FUTO, BSc (Lag) for Unilag etc.




One fun fact I was told about UNN first graduate was that those guys swooped all the job openings of the govt after their assessment and interviews which they performed excellently well. Subsequent graduates did same which made other universities in the country to question what method of teaching the school adopted that made their graduates verse in diverse fields, it was later discovered that UNN was taking its students especially the newly admitted ones on A Level courses before their main departmental courses during their sophomore classes. Courses, like Use of English, Biology General Studies which was shortened as GS and some other courses...


After this discovery, the Council incharge of tertiary education made it compulsory for all universities in Nigeria to adopt GS courses and other courses for their freshers, that's why till date all universities in the country even polytechnics still offer GS courses for their first years.

What an interesting discovery by UNN.