The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruquayattu Rufa'i has commissioned a 350-seater theatre donated to the Law Faculty of the University of Ibadan by its Pro-Chancellor, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) with an appeal on philanthropic Nigerians to partner with the federal government on education for improvement of the sector and national development.

She also stressed the need to ensure adequate maintenance of educational infrastructure across all institutions in the country.

According to her, no matter how rich in resources a government may be, it cannot adequately provide all the needs of education.

Acknowledging Olanipekun's initiative in helping to transform the University, Rufa'i said, "This gesture will go down in history not only for UI but Nigeria as a whole. We thank you very much our own Chief Wole Olanipekun. I urge other Pro-Chancellor to emulate his good gesture.

"We are inviting other stakeholders to come and partner with us in the area of education. If they do, the level and quality of education will be higher.

"No matter the resources a government may have it cannot sufficiently cater for education. What we mean is that people should come and partner with government. What the Pro-Chancellor has done goes beyond partnering only with the Faculty of Law but affecting the entire University and the entire nation by extension."

She expressed the hope that the newly inaugurated Ajibode Road linking the new Law Faculty and other parts of the University would serve as the gateway to the institution and the adjoining communities.

Earlier in his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, UI, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said that with the new modern theater, the management was opening up UI for the 21st Century development. The chairman of Council is the first to erect a self-financed building in this University.