UI Research Goes to Town

Professor Kayode Adebowale, Vice-Chancellor, UI

The University of Ibadan is proving that research does not belong only in journals—it belongs in people’s lives. At its 2025 Research and Development Fair, titled “UI-Town Connect,” the University showcased how academic work can transition from the lab to the streets, tackling real-world problems and creating livelihoods.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale, said the event symbolised the “tripod” of Research, Innovation, and Development (RID) — the foundation of any stable society. “Research must leave the walls of the university and make an impact in communities,” he said.

One standout story came from Mrs Oluyemisi Iranloye, founder of Psaltry International, whose partnership with UI researchers led to Nigeria’s first cassava-based sorbitol factory—an ingredient once imported for toothpaste production. “We turned research into industry, and industry into jobs,” she said, showing how local innovation can reshape rural economies.

Guest speaker and Aradel Holdings CEO, Engineer Adegbite Falade, challenged universities to reward solutions that power factories rather than citations that gather dust. Experts at the fair urged more substantial funding, policy consistency, and better protection for intellectual property.

For UI, “town and gown” is no longer just an idea; it is becoming a living bridge between discovery and development.