The Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, has disclosed that the institution’s COVID-19 drugs will be ready soon.
He said this on Tuesday during a media briefing heralding the events marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the university.
The VC, who was flanked by the new Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the university, Owelle Oscar Udoji, said researchers from the university were working with state and federal governments to produce the COVID-19 drugs.
He said OAU enjoyed various grants for research including the global competition of the COVID-19 African Rapid Grant Fund, adding that the institution was achieving a breakthrough in the researches.
He said; “working with the state and federal governments, our researchers have been able to come up with some products that will be very useful in suppressing the symptoms of COVID-19. We are in the vanguard of it.”
Prof Ogunbodede said OAU had been advancing frontiers of learning and culture since 8 June 1961 that the instrument establishing the University was passed into law by the regional government of Western Nigeria.
“We give all glory to God and the visionary founding fathers of the University. Obafemi Awolowo University is a comprehensive public institution that places a premium on teaching, research and community service.
“The university, which was officially inaugurated on the 8 of June, 1961, commenced classes in October 1962, as the University of Ife.
“It was renamed Obafemi Awolowo University on the 12 of May 1987 in honour of Chief Obafemi Awolowo (1909-1987), first premier of the Western Region of Nigeria, and one of the founding fathers.
“The visionary founders of Obafemi Awolowo University set out to establish a University that would be unique in a number of ways. They dreamt of a university of ‘the highest standard and of worldwide repute in the Western Region’ of Nigeria.”
“Fired by the nationalist spirit of the age and the fervour deriving from newly won political independence, they conceived of a university that would not be a mere colonial ivory-tower, but rather a truly African university both in form and in substance,” Prof Ogunbodede noted.
The VC said OAU was anchored on the concept of Academics, Aesthetics and Agriculture.
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