The Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Professor T. O. Ogundiran FAS, led members of the College Executive Committee on an inspection of the students’ hostel building project on Monday, 9 February 2026. The visit formed part of the College leadership’s continued oversight of key infrastructure projects aimed at improving student welfare and strengthening the academic environment within the College of Medicine axis.
Professor Ogundiran arrived at the construction site in the company of the Deputy Provost, Professor S. B. Olaleye; the Secretary to the College, A.E. Odedele; the Financial Controller, S. O. Ayansina; and the Medical Librarian, Dr Grace A. Ajuwon. Also present were the Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Professor T. A. Lawal; the Dean of the Faculty of Public Health, Professor M. D. Dairo; the Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, Professor B. M. Kolude; the Dean of the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, Professor Taiwo R. Kotila, the Director of the Institute of Advanced Medical Research and Training (IAMRAT), Professor IkeOluwapo Ajayi, alongside other senior officials of the College of Medicine.
Members of the College Executive Committee were received on site by the Co-Chair of the Hostel Building Committee, Professor Gbemisola Oke, and the Project Advisor, Pastor Arc Bimbo Ogunbiyi, who also represented the second Co-Chair of the Committee, Major General Dr Shina Ogunbiyi rtd, mni, FNAMed.
The Building Committee Co-Chair, Professor Gbemisola Oke (far right), welcoming the Provost and the
College Executive Committee upon arrival at the hostel construction site
Professor Ogundiran explained that the purpose of the inspection was to assess the level of work completed on the hostel site and to agree on a realistic timeline for delivery. He noted that the visit had become particularly important following the recent posting of students from the main University of Ibadan campus to the College of Medicine axis, a development that had placed renewed pressure on available accommodation. He expressed his appreciation to members of the Building Committee for their sustained commitment and steady guidance since the commencement of the project.
In her response, Professor Gbemisola Oke, on behalf of the Building Committee, welcomed the Provost and members of the inspection team. She informed the College leadership that all three hostel blocks under construction were expected to be ready by the end of February 2026, which had been fixed as the official handover timeline. She recalled that Block C, known as the Philip Ozuah Block, had already been completed and commissioned in the previous year. She added that Block D, designated as the TY Danjuma Block, had reached over ninety percent completion.
According to the update she gave, the construction work on all the hostel Blocks had largely been completed, while furnishing remained outstanding. She also indicated that electricity and water supply were the major utilities yet to be fully provided. A water tank tower had already been erected at the building's frontage, while another tower was under construction and expected to be completed within 15 days, based on assurances from the contractor handling that component of the work.
The Provost and members of the College Executive Committee observing the ground-floor garden area within the hostel block
with members of the building committee
The Director of Works, University of Ibadan, Engineer Olufemi A. Adetolu, agreed that electricity supply to the hostel complex would be drawn from a 33 KVA transmission transformer as being contemplated by the Building Committee. A discussion followed on the possibility of connecting the hostel to a mini-grid power supply. Professor Ogundiran informed the meeting that the University of Ibadan had been listed in the second batch of beneficiary institutions and expressed hope that implementation would begin soon. The Immediate Past President of the Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association Worldwide (ICOMAA-WW), Professor Emmanuel Otolorin advised that advocacy and sustained engagement with relevant authorities should be pursued to hasten the process.
A physical inspection of Blocks D, E, and F followed the briefing session. Observations made during the inspection showed that structural work had largely been completed across the blocks, while several rooms were still awaiting furnishing. Furnishing samples were already in place in some rooms, providing a preview of the final standard expected across the hostels.
The Building Committee team on site also included the immediate Past Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor Olayinka Omigbodun FAS, and the immediate Past Deputy Provost and Secretary to the Building Committee, Professor A.F. Adeniyi, who is also a past ICOMAA-WW president. Professional consultants engaged by the client were present, including Engineer Wale Lagunju mni, Engineer Aanu Egbadayo, Quantity Surveyor Fadayomi, and Architect Joba Oyeleye. Representatives of the contractors, Monumental Stones Limited and FBS Engineering Limited, were also in attendance.
The updates presented during the inspection revealed that the contract for hostel furnishings would be awarded soon. Delivery and installation were expected to take approximately twelve weeks for full completion. Committee members expressed satisfaction with the quality of samples already delivered and urged strict adherence to agreed specifications and timelines.
The Provost emphasised the need for coordination and speed to prevent delays as the project approached its final stages.
The College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, hostel building project was conceived as a direct response to observations by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. Concerns raised during those processes pointed clearly to the need for improved and purpose-built student accommodation that could support learning, demanding clinical schedules, student welfare, and general well-being. Adequate hostel facilities were identified as essential to meeting accreditation requirements and sustaining the College’s reputation for excellence in medical and health sciences education.
Professor Olayinka Omigbodun, FAS, Immediate Past Provost, highlighting safety considerations to the Provost during a discussion
on the site about security of the hostel site, including raising the perimeter fencing a bit more.
The College leadership responded by placing hostel development at the centre of its infrastructure priorities. The project formally commenced during the tenure of Professor Olayinka O. Omigbodun as Provost of the College of Medicine, in close collaboration with the Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association Worldwide (ICOMAA-WW), under the presidency of Professor Emmanuel Otolorin. Alumni engagement during this period moved beyond goodwill gestures to become a structured, purposeful partnership focused on long-term institutional needs.
A major milestone was reached with the commissioning of Block C, funded by an alumnus Dr Philip O. Ozuah, president and Chief Executive Officer of Montefiore Medical Centre and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the United States. The building named after him, the first of six planned hostel blocks, introduced a modern standard for student accommodation within the College. Its commissioning during the fortieth anniversary reunion of the MBBS & BDS Class of 1985 attracted alumni, university leadership, and invited guests, reinforcing the role of alumni support in strengthening institutional capacity.
The inspection was concluded at about 10.15 a.m., with the Provost expressing satisfaction with the progress recorded and reaffirming the College leadership’s commitment to seeing the project delivered within the agreed timeline.
The Building Committee Co-Chair, Professor Gbemisola Oke, leading the Provost, the College Executive Committee and the Building Committee members on a tour of the building site:
Photos of the current state of the hostel building site
