The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole, has announced that the institution’s Faculty of Law currently holds the highest number of Ph.D. holders among law faculties in Nigeria.
Speaking on Monday, June 16, during a postgraduate retreat organised by the Faculty of Law at the University Auditorium Basement, Egbewole described the achievement as a testament to the faculty’s dedication to academic excellence.
Egbewole, a professor of Jurisprudence and International Law, encouraged academic staff to realign their teaching and research strategies to better reflect societal needs. He urged the faculty to design curricula that inspire students to pursue doctoral studies, promoting deeper intellectual engagement and long-term academic growth.
He further commended the postgraduate retreat, describing it as a timely initiative in line with the university’s broader mission to strengthen postgraduate education. Emphasising the importance of efficient programme delivery, he advised against unnecessary delays in postgraduate completion timelines.
In her remarks, Professor Nimah AbdulRaheem, Dean of the Faculty of Law, described the retreat as a vital opportunity to evaluate and restructure postgraduate programmes to meet contemporary academic standards. She called for the standardisation of MPhil/Ph.D. programmes, enhanced research methods, and uniform supervision practices to maintain the faculty’s global competitiveness.
Also speaking at the event, Dean of the Postgraduate School, Professor Bamidele Owoyele, highlighted the need for frequent curriculum revisions, the adoption of artificial intelligence in legal education, and strict supervisory protocols to preserve academic integrity.
Owoyele also proposed the introduction of specialised legal postgraduate programmes in Environmental, International, and Intellectual Property Law. He praised the faculty’s strong LL.M. and Ph.D. enrolment numbers and credited its academic reputation for the university’s inclusion in the prestigious TETFund Academic Staff Training programme.
