# The University of Ibadan

> Founded in 1948 as University College, Ibadan in a special-relationship scheme with the University of London, it became a fully independent university — the University of Ibadan — in 1962, making it Nigeria's first university. Located on a 1,032-hectare site outside Ibadan, Oyo State, it began with 104 foundation students and grew into a comprehensive university across seventeen faculties.

**Category:** Science, Education & Innovation · **Updated:** 2026-07-26 19:36:35 · **Canonical:** https://nigeriastuff.org/a/university-of-ibadan

## Key facts
- **Founded:** 1948, as University College, Ibadan
- **Full independence:** 1962 — became University of Ibadan, Nigeria's first full-fledged independent university
- **Original affiliation:** Special relationship scheme with the University of London (from February 1948)
- **Location:** Ibadan, Oyo State — permanent site of over 1,032 hectares leased by the chiefs and people of Ibadan
- **Foundation Day:** 17 November 1948 (first sod turned by Arthur Creech Jones, UK Secretary of State for the Colonies)
- **First Principal:** Kenneth Mellanby
- **First Nigerian Vice-Chancellor:** Kenneth Onwuka Dike, 1962–1967 (also first African Principal, from 1958)
- **As of:** 24 July 2026

## Sources
- Home | University of Ibadan — University of Ibadan (https://ui.edu.ng/)
- About Us | University of Ibadan — University of Ibadan (https://ui.edu.ng/content/about-us)
- Dr Kenneth Dike — King's College London (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/dr-kenneth-dike)
- Kenneth Onwuka Dike — University of Aberdeen (https://www.abdn.ac.uk/stories/kenneth-dike/)

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