Below are the reasons why Obafeni Awolowo University is a great school;
1. The only University in Nigeria whose students
are capable of influencing national policies.
Examples: i, Ife/Ibadan expressway was dualized
in the early 1990s due to agitations of Ife
students after an accident claiming students'
lives; ii , Ife students led the Ali-Must-Go struggle
of 1978 against FG's obnoxious policies on education iii The national clampdown on cultism in all Nigerian institutions was triggered by Ife students in 1999.
2. Ife Varsity enjoys the best welfare facilities
among public universities in Nigeria. Good roads, water, constant electricity, very conducive learning environment.
3. The only Nobel Laurette in Nigeria won it as Ife
lecturer. Wole Soyinka.
4. A good percentage of Ife products are highflyers in their chosen professions.
5. Ife is the most progressive university in Nigeria.
It is only in Ife that a fumbling serving minister
with all the security details will be denied access
to University campus(Bayo Ojo, 2005); it is only
in Ife that a presidential candidate with anti-
students antecedents will be told to his face
(Obasanjo 1998); it is only in Ife that a powerful
head of government agency will be drilled by students, without fears as to his activities (Nuhu Ribadu, 2007) etc
6. There is this inbuilt "inoppressibility" and
"unsupressibility" among Ife students and products. They know their rights, go any extent to defend it. Authorities think twice before coming up with one policy.
7. It may interest you to know that the now common 'GREAT this, GREAT that' started with Ife in the mid 1970s. Today every glorified secondary school copies Ife as Great X, Great Y, but the real Nigerians know who has the 'copyright'
8. Webometrics rating. Yes, currently, Ife is not on
No 1, but it occupied top spot some three, four
years ago. But at least all ratings by NUC, Webometrics, ICU etc have always placed Ife in Top 4, perhaps the only consistent Varsity to appear in Top 3 by any rating. Even a sincere Unilorin student will tell you Ife na Baba
9. Ife is the most beautiful campus in Nigeria. A
serene environment is conducive for learning.
10. Ife students are the proudest and most respected in the country. They also have the most enviable espirit de corps. Dispute this? Go to NYSC camps, organizations etc.
11. Ife students gave Gani Fawehinmi SENIOR ADVOCATE OF THE MASSES honour in 1988. It became a nationally quoted award. What does that tell you? Ife awards are not just mushroom awards some students just give. It is nationally recognized.
12. Gani Fawehinmi, Nigeria's most respected
progressive said on his death bed: If University of
Ife wants my corpse, give it to them. What does
that tell you? Why did he choose Ife, and not UI,
his alma mater? No, there must be something great in that school. Your guess is as good as mine: Ife represents his ideals.
13. Ife, students and as a school, has won any
continental awards, including SIFE African champions and global 2nd runners-up in 2007 world competition( www.sife.org)
14. Ife Students' Union are the most vibrant. Indeed Ife is a training ground for fearless activists that later in life shake the country: See the list: Femi Falana, Justice Oyewole that sentenced Bode George, Mike Ozekhome, Bamidele Aturu, Opeyemi Bamidele, Mamora
Olohunnimbe, Olaolu Alli etc
15. Ife is the most sought-after university in
Nigeria. Check JAMB records. Despite the notoriety of the school for students spending more years in school, people still die for the school, still want to go there. No, there must be something great about that school.
Greatest IFE!!!
Alpha Omega University (OAU)
Intellectual Fighters for Emancipation (IFE)
Another Great IFE is a counterfeit!!!
