Only One Nigerian University Ranked Among 800 Top-notch Univerisities in the World!

Only one Nigerian university is ranked among the top 800 universities in the world, according to Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2015/2016 released this week.

   

PREMIUM TIMES’ analysis of the report showed that the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s oldest university, is ranked 601st of the world’s top 800 universities featured in the survey, 200 steps lower than Makerere University, Uganda, which is ranked 401st.

The ranking was released on Wednesday, September 30, 2015.

The University of Cape Town, South Africa, at 120th position, is the highest ranked university in Africa, 481 steps higher than the University of Ibadan.

Five other South African universities are included in the list of top notch universities in the world, making it the highest from a single African country.

They are University of Witwatersrand (20ist); Stellenbosch University (301st); University of KwaZulu-Natal (401st); University of Pretoria (501st); and University of South Africa (601st).

Three Egyptian universities, Alexandria University, Cairo University, and Suez Canal University are all ranked 601st on the list.

Just like Nigeria and Uganda, only one Ghanaian university, the University of Ghana is on the list, and it is ranked 601st.

Mellamby Hall, University of Ibadan

Morocco too has only one university, University of Marrakech Cadi Ayyad (601th), on the list.

Altogether, 13 universities from six African countries are included among the top 800 universities in the world.

But despite having only one university in the ranking, this year’s rating is a great leap for Nigeria. No Nigerian university has featured in the ranking since 2011 when the survey began.

The California Institute of Technology, United States, occupies the number one spot in the world.

The University of Oxford, United Kingdom is on the 2nd position, while Stanford University, United States and University of Cambridge, United Kingdom are on the 3rd and 4th positions respectively.

Brief historical background of University of Ibadan.

The establishment of a university in Ibadan was approved in March, 1947 by the secretary of state under the Labor controlled British colonial government following recommendations of the Elliot and Asquith Commissions. The University took in its first batch of students, about 104 (including two girls), in January 1948 on a temporary site at the old army barracks and the General Hospital. The University moved to its present site of three square miles in 1952. The site, situated about five miles from the center of the city of Ibadan, was donated by the people of Ibadan.

The oldest buildings in the University were designed by British architects Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew. A 500-bed teaching hospital was built in 1957. The University became independent of the University of London in 1962.

University of Ibadan, Tower Court and Vice Chancellor's office

University of Ibadan, Nigeria produced the following notable alumni as stated in wikipedia:

• Ladipo Ayodeji Banjo, (Born, 2 May 1934) is a Nigerian Emeritus professor of English language.
• Chinua Achebe, author of Things Fall Apart^[7][8]
• Adiele Afigbo, Nigerian Historian, the first person to receive a doctoral degree in History from a Nigerian university
• Claude Ake, Erudite Professor of Political Economy, International scholar and Social crusader
• Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General^[9]
• Michael Omolewa, former President of UNESCO General Conference and Ambassador of Nigeria to UNESCO^[10]
• Eddie Mbadiwe, Member of the House of Representative
• Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State
• J. P. Clark^[7][8][11]
• Amadi Ikwechegh^[12]
• Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah^[13]
• Christopher Okigbo^[7][8][14]
• Gamaliel Onosode^[15]
• Wole Soyinka, winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature^[7][8]
• Grace Alele-Williams^[16]
• William Kumuyi, Founder and General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry^[17][18]
• Ken Saro-Wiwa^[19][20]
• Olufunmilayo Olopade^[21][22]
• Martin I Uhomoibhi^[23]
• Farida Mzamber Waziri^[24]
• Niyi Osundare^[25]
• Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani^[25][26]
• Jacob Ade Ajayi
• John Omoniyi Abiri
• Kole Omotosho^[27]
• Abiola Irele^[28]
• Elechi Amadi^[7][8]
• Stephen Adebanji Akintoye^[29]
• Segun Toyin Dawodu, MD, JD, MBA, LL.M, MS a physician, attorney, academic, and entrepreneur who established the first website^[30] on socio-political issues of Nigeria.
• Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff
• Kayode Are, former National Security Adviser & former Director General of the State Security Service
• Akinyinka Omigbodun^[31]

Sources: PREMIUM TIMES, Wikipedia and Digital Journal