The Kwara State First Lady, Dr (Mrs) Olufolake AbdulRazaq, has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) to suspend its ongoing strike in the interest of the Nigerian youths.

Mrs AbdulRazaq also applauded the efforts of the University of Ilorin Centre for Ilorin Studies (CILS) in sustaining its mandate for the development of scholarship and socio-cultural development of Ilorin.

She made the call when members of the 5th Book of Readings and Awards Ceremonial Committee of the Centre for Ilorin Studies (CILS), visited her in her office at the Kwara State Government House, Ilorin.

She pointed out that she looks forward to another meeting with the Vice Chancellor towards solidifying the collaboration efforts already established.

Mrs. AbdulRazaq said, “I know research has done a lot in the development of Nigeria. I want to implore you all that you do all that you can to get rid of this ASUU impasse with the Federal Government. I will be failing in my responsibility if I did not talk about that because we have our youths at home. UNILORIN has never been part of the ASUU strikes before but I am very sad that now you are part of it but I am glad, hope and pray that we get to the end of this very soon by God's grace so that our youths will go back to school”.

The Kwara State First Lady, who expressed happiness receiving the team, said that “as a lover of studying and academia, I hosted some youths in my office, “last Monday (August 29, 2022) and I reminded them to take their youth period very seriously”.

She said, “At that youth age, we are to keep them busy and engage them because the idle mind is the devil's workshop. I also informed them that we will try to keep them engaged and that they too should try to keep themselves positively engaged. Part of these engagements was my meeting with the NDLEA to work together in addressing the menace of drug abuse and other illicit acts among youths nowadays”.

Mrs AbdulRazaq said, “The period is very important in my life. It was a period that the support and the encouragement of my husband, the executive governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and my father to my passion for studying and research allowed me to earn various academic Degrees, added to my credit and also rise to be a diplomat”.

The First Lady, who also disclosed that everybody knew her passion for studying and research, added that she is very excited to be part of the CILS team.

“Reading is another passion I have. You can call on me for whatever you need. I am so happy to receive this book. I and the children will read it to improve our knowledge about all things concerning Ilorin, and its role in the development of Nigeria. It is also important for the children to know about their background and where we are going. So I want to thank you so much”, she added.

The governor's wife, who was in the company of the Kwara State Commissioners for Special Duties and Youths Development, Abosede Buraimoh and Adamu Bake respectively, disclosed that the two commissioners will join her in the collaboration with the Centre.

Earlier in his remarks, the Director of the Centre for Ilorin Studies (CILS), University of Ilorin, Dr O. Y. Abdul-Hamid, thanked the governor's wife for her immense support for the Centre before the event.

Dr Abdul-Hamid said that the Centre is glad that the First Lady also accepted to be a member of the Centre”, adding that “we also want to thank you for sending a worthy representative, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Kwara State, Barrister Senior Ibrahim Sulyman. “This, we understand was due to other state engagements”.

The Director, who also recognized Mrs AbdulRazaq's financial contributions before the event that added value to the pre-event activities, reminded her that in “UNILORIN we do not say bye-bye but see you again”.

He stressed that the Centre, which was established in 2011 for research in the culture and economy of Ilorin is an international centre for excellence in learning, probity and service to governments, organisations and individuals. “That is to say, it is a centre for Nigeria and not only Ilorin”.

The Director, however, said that the Centre will soon come up with a formal letter appointing the First Lady as a permanent distinguished member of the Centre.

Also, in his remarks, the Co-Chairman of the Committee and Dean, Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, Prof. A. L. Azeez, expressed happiness for meeting the First Lady, whom he described as his senior “Great Akokite”, face to face.

Prof. Azeez commended her “humility, humbleness and very accommodating moment expected of a distinguished First Lady like her”.

The don said that the Centre is very grateful for the opportunity the First Lady has given it to meet her one-on-one as it is not very easy to meet someone like this because there is serious business she attends to daily.

“We consider this a great opportunity that we will forever appreciate. We pray that God Almighty will continue to guide you and your husband. We are not talking politics here, you have printed your name in the heart of many people in this state. So we continue to pray that God will continue to be with you and will continue to guide you. Thank you once again for this opportunity”, he said.

The highlight of the visit was the presentation of a letter of appreciation and copies of the book of readings, titled, “The place of Ilorin Emirate in the Development of Nigeria”, to the First Lady.

Other committee members that formed the visiting team included, Dr. A. O. La'aro of the Mass Communication Department, Mr. M. M. Abubakar of the Directorate of Corporate Affairs and Mr. Bola Usman of the Centre of Ilorin. Studies.