The Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressives Union (IEDPU), the umbrella union of Ilorin indigenes both at home and abroad have urged indigenes of the town to cooperate with the incoming Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole in order to sustain and improve upon the giant strides recorded by the university.

Besides, various union leaders in the university said the appointment was well-deserved, describing it as round peg in a round hole.

Egbewole, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria emerged as the 12th vice chancellor of the university after a vigorous selection process embarked on by the governing council of the university.

Since then, the new vice chancellor has been receiving encomiums from various stakeholders in the university and outside the institution.

The National President of the IEDPU, Alhaji Aliyu Otta Uthman in a statement on the appointment of Egbewole yesterday, said that the union believed that the appointment was God’s ordained.

He added that, “since the development was made public by the Chairman of the Governing Council of the University, Mallam Abidu Rafindadi Yazidu, the union had been inundated with calls from concerned stakeholders considering the fact that quite a number of indigenes of Ilorin Emirate contested for the same position.

“Though, the union had anticipated the emergence of one of the candidates from Ilorin Emirate as the next Chief Executive of the University considering their exceptional academic, professional and administrative qualifications and competencies as well as untainted integrity but since it has happened otherwise, we believe that the development was the wish of Allah who we worship and ask for help.”

Uthman insisted that the people of Ilorin emirate, as Muslims, must consistently demonstrate their convictions that nothing happens without the desire of Allah and that “it is only He who gives and takes dominion”.

While appreciating the fact that the University of Ilorin remains the biggest investment of the federal government in Ilorin Emirate and the entire Kwara State, the IEDPU president opined that, “those of us who are hosts of the institution cannot and must not behave in a manner that would put our piety, learning and exposure to question simply because of the outcome of the selection process of the new vice chancellor.”

Meanwhile, various unions leaders in the university have lauded the appointment of Egbewole.

The union leaders include the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technicians (NAATS) as well as other stakeholders of the university.

The Chairman of the ASUU, Prof. Salihu Moyosore Ajao, lauded the appointment of Egbewole as the incoming vice chancellor of the university, saying the union was ready to work with him as the tasks ahead were huge and challenging.

He urged Egbewole to be magnanimous in victory by reaching out to all those who contested against him in order to benefit from their visions so that the University would remain better by far among its peers.

Also, the Chairman of the institution’s chapter of the NAAT, Femi Awolola, described the incoming vice chancellor as a fellow comrade and friend.

Awolola expressed the hope that Egbewole would lead the university to the next level of progress and development as he equally expressed the desire of NAAT to cooperate fully with the Professor of Jurisprudence and International Law to enable him succeed.

On his part, the Chairman of the institution’s Chapter of SSANU, Naheem Falowo, implored stakeholders of the university to see the emergence of Egbewole as God’s wish and should therefore work with him.

Falowo added that the new vice chancellor needed to hit the ground running immediately as the tasks before him were enormous, saying that he must begin to work towards ensuring that the reputation of the university was boosted.

The Chairman of NASU, University of Ilorin chapter, Ibrahim Suberu, also described the emergence of Egbewole as a welcome development in view of his experience in university management.

He urged the incoming vice chancellor to priotise the welfare and development of the university.