For a very long time,the debate for the best university in Nigeria among students across the country has been a heated one,well,for a university to be adjudged the best among the rest, such university must have attain some heights and create some standards that will clearly distinguish her from other universities.
From my own perspective,a university should be ranked based on the following factors
1-academic research
2-Achievements
3-Academic standards
4-productivity
5-employment opportunities
6-efficiency and speed
In terms of research,OAU is pacesetter among Nigeria universities,she pioneered the introduction of entrepreneurship education at the undergraduate level before it was adopted nationally by the Nigeria university commission(NUC).
OAU is the leading ICT university in Nigeria with a bandwidth of 113mbit/s as well as ilab,the first of it kind in south of Sahara Africa,the school also has it own V-sat access to the internet with a well developed intranet.
It's medical school started with an integrated curriculum and community development that was later adopted by the world health organisation(WHO)
Achievement-OAU achievement is second to none among Nigeria universities,the first Siamese twins to be successfully separated in sub-Saharan Africa was performed at the university teaching hospital(OAUTH) Also-she started the first faculty of pharmacy in west Africa,the first department of chemical engineering and the first electronic components in addition to electrical engineering.
Academic standards-for a long time,OAU is known for excellent academic standards, it vigorous style of learning was the major reason while students changed the motto of the school from"for learning and culture to for learning and torture ".
productivity-OAU is ranked the most productive university by the NUC and shanghai university as it relates to Africa,no wonder while three professors, Bolaji Aluko,Nahzeem Olufemi Mimiko and Oladapo afolabi(all products of OAU) are the current vice -chancellors of federal university Otuoke, Bayelsa state,Adekunle Ajasin university,Ondo and head o service of the federation respectively.
Employment opportunities -here I"ll talk about a third class OAU graduate been considered ahead of second class graduates of other institutions in the labour market.
Efficiency and speed- here,OAU lagged behind other universities because the school is practically slow but this point can also be explained with the fact that OAU students are well informed and will do anything to protect their rights.
Consequently,OAU remain Nigeria best, all these facts can be verified.....great Ife lives forever.
