A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, is dead.
He was aged 68.
The veterinary medicine scholar and university administrator reportedly passed away in the early hours of Saturday at his residence in Oloje Estate, Ilorin.
He was not known to be sick before he died.
According to the family, the former VC sdied around 3 a.m., hours after attending the Isha’i prayer at a nearby mosque on Friday night.
His Janazah has been fixed at 4 p.m. at his residence on Air Force Road in Oloje Estate, Ilorin.
Ambali, who is the ninth Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin between 2012 and 2017, spent more than three decades in teaching, research and university administration.
Until his death, he was Chairman and Pro-Chancellor of Kwara State University, a position he held after completing his tenure at the University of Ilorin.
Ambali was born on November 29, 1957, in Ilorin, Kwara State, began his education at Pakata Primary School, and attended Government Secondary School, Jalingo.
He bagged a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981 and later obtained both a Master’s degree and a PhD in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Liverpool.
Ambali taught at the University of Maiduguri and later joined the University of Ilorin, where he rose through the ranks to become Professor of Veterinary Medicine and later the pioneer Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
He Chairman of the Association of West African Universities and was a Fellow of the College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria.
The late former Vice Chancellor also mentored numerous scholars, supervised postgraduate students and published more than 80 scholarly articles in peer-reviewed journals.
In recognition of his contributions to education and national development, he was conferred with the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
Meanwhile, the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), has mourned the passage of the former VC, describing his death as a painful loss to the Ilorin Emirate and the country.
Spokesperson of IEODU, Malam Suleiman Shuaib Dagbo, said the union its members received news of Ambali’s death with shock and profound sadness, describing him as “a complete patriot and perfect gentleman” who served humanity with humility and dedication.
He said the late professor made significant contributions to the growth of the University of Ilorin and also played active roles within the organisation, including serving as chairman of its Maiduguri branch and presiding over the opening ceremony of its 2018 national conference.
“His death is not only a terrible blow but an incident that diminishes the people of the Ilorin Emirate,” the statement said.
The IEDPU condoled with Ambali’s family, the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the managements of Kwara State University and the University of Ilorin, as well as colleagues, associates and friends of the late scholar.
It also prayed for Allah’s forgiveness and eternal mercy upon the deceased.
