World Bank Chief Acknowledges the Prestigiousness of UI

World Bank Chief Acknowledges the Prestigiousness of UI

The Director of the World Bank Nigeria Country Office, Dr. Ndiame Diop has described the University of Ibadan as one of the most prestigious universities in Africa.

Dr Diop was at the University of Ibadan to deliver a Distinguished Personality Lecture for the Department of Agricultural Economics of the University.

During a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Diop recalled that he first became aware of UI in 1997 during a conference in Kenya where all the best research papers and lead discussants came from UI.

He said he had since then been looking forward to visiting UI.

Dr. Diop stressed that the University of Ibadan has the best researchers and teachers saying that the contributions of Professor Foluso Okunmadewa of the Department of Agricultural Economics to the growth of the World Bank in Nigeria was a testament to this. Professor Okunmadewa was a Lead Specialist and a former Acting Country Director at the World Bank.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, fspsp, was represented by the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Professor Oluwadayo O. Sonibare to receive the Country Director and the Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, CON.

Professor Sonibare reiterated that UI is the best of the best universities in terms of teaching, research, and staff strength adding that UI had through its staff strength, professional experts, scholars, comprehensive spectrum of innovations, human resources and highly placed researchers contributed to the growth of the country.

He appreciated Dr. Diop for accepting to deliver the Distinguished Personality Lecture and the Honourable Minister for accepting to be the Chairman at the lecture.

Professor Sonibare said the topic of the lecture was very important and thanked the Head of Department of Agricultural Economics for organizing such a lecture at this time.

The Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (CON), said that he came purposely to honour the Country Director of the World Bank, Dr Ndiame Diop and because of the high esteem in which he held the University of Ibadan.

He described Dr. Diop, who has just been elevated to the Vice Presidency of the World Bank, as a great African who is passionately interested in what he does for our continent.

The visiting team which consisted of officials of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the World Bank, the Nigerian Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER), the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and staff members of the Faculty of Agriculture, and the Department of Agricultural Economics was led by Professor Foluso Okunmadewa.

The Distinguished Personality Lecture was entitled “Leveraging Agricultural Transformation For Sustainable Economic Development in Nigeria: Key Considerations.”