The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof. Wahab Egbewole, has disclosed that the institution would soon commence the construction of smart buildings within the institution to tackle power challenges.

Egbewole made the disclosure Tuesday in Ilorin at the commencement of a three-day campus-wide familiarisation tour of faculties.

He explained that the tour was to assess and identify peculiar challenges in the various academic departments with a view to addressing them holistically.

He said that his administration would soon begin the construction of smart buildings that would not require generators or connection to the national power grid.

Egbewole stressed that the institution could not continue to operate traditionally, and tasked researchers to identify national problems and tailor their researches to address those problems.

He advised that money should be de-emphasised, adding that the institution had the brains to attract funds through grants and groundbreaking research works.

The VC assured that money would not be a barrier to the institution’s management achieving the university’s vision and mission.

Egbewole pledged that his administration would continue to support all faculties, noting that it is important to have a familiarisation tour of the faculties because they were critical to the repositioning of the country.

He added that TETFund had been providing lot of support and resources to the institution, and emphasised that they must be efficiently and effectively utilised.

“I advise you to embrace the spirit of hard work and generate ideas that can generate funds for the development of the university,” he charged.

Egbewole enjoined the top scholars in the faculties to mentor and train the younger ones, advising that if the top scholars mentored five younger ones, the institution will be brimming with quality scholars in the next five years.

Besides, he pleaded with the academics to let the administration know about their groundbreaking achievements so that they can be celebrated, appreciated and properly documented to add colour to the university.