Gbolahan Balogun
The Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Professor Abdulwahab Egbewole on Monday disclosed that the institution is exploring the possibility of electric transportation system to ease its perennial transportation problem and especially to latch on to the transition to e-mobility that is expanding and accelerating across the world.
Coincidentally, his disclosure is coming on the heels of EVS36, the 36th Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exposition coming up June 11-14, 2023 in the City of Sacramento, California, USA.
The symposium, themed, “Driving the Transition to E-Mobility,” will be hosted by the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) and the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA.
This is an annual gathering of the world’s EV experts and it features industry and thought leaders, cutting-edge exposition with exhibitors from around the globe, and researchers who map the future of electric transportation and decide on what’s next.
The Vice-Chancellor revealed the efforts and position of the institution on the new generation of electric transportation at an interactive Ramadan Iftar with journalists at the VC’s Lodge on the main campus.
He said, while juggling on the possible solutions to ease the students and staff's transportation problem which became critical of recent, the university looked at the options of rail system and electronic buses not only for the university's transportation needs but as a research efforts in the e-mobility technology.
Egbewole said some faculty staff have apprised themselves of the new technology and already working towards taking advantage of the situation.
He said: "The good thing about it, as we discovered, is that this is ‘open-road’.
“Few of our colleagues in the Department of electrical engineering are already working on this model and because we just released the Senate research grant, we are hoping that part of the grant will be used to work on that model.
The university he said, has been designated a TETFUND research hub given its strides in inventions and research breakthroughs and recently got an award o N4.7 billion for more research based initiatives and to solve economic problems.s
He said more buses would be put on the university roads in the meantime, as a consequence of discussions the management had with some private transporters.
He however noted that that the transportation problem in the university has reduced significantly "because, at least within our campus and to the gate, are ensuring a smooth ride.
‘We are also looking at the government of Kwara State in concluding the ongoing Tanke bridge project which will further reduce the transportation challenge.” He added.
Egbewole reiterated his visions of making the institution the number one University in Nigeria, Africa and to be one of the prominent key players in the world “with our vision one ten five hundred”
He also expressed the willingness to support sports in all its ramification.
“We will continue to support sporting activities because we believe that the health of our students is important; that sports has a way of impacting positively on human
“Our contingent will be part of the world University community games that is going to happen somewhere in Europe in May or June and I have discussed with the director of sports on logistics for that trip.” He added
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