Unilorin Set To Be Among The World Top Rank Universities—US don

A renowned Professor of Mathematics at Arizona State
University, USA, Abba Gumel, has tipped the University
of Ilorin to be among the top rank universities in the
world within the next four years because of her
visionary leadership and excellent management.
Prof. Gumel stated this last Monday (May 25, 2015),
when he paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor,
Prof. AbdulGanuyu Ambali (OON), in his office shortly
before delivering a public lecture organised by the
Centre fot International Education (CIE), University of
Ilorin.
At the lecture, entitled “Mathematical Assessment of the
Role of Climate on Vector-Borne Diseases”, the Arizona
University don submitted that climate change could
cause a devastating increase in Vector-Borne Diseases
(VBD) burden and expansion of geographic range of the
vectors.
Prof. Gumel said, “Climatic factors, such as
temperature, humidity, rainfall and vapour pressure,
significantly affect the incidence of BVDs either through
changes in the duration of vector and parasite
(pathogen) life cycles, or influences on host, vector, or
parasite behaviour. Increases in average global surface
temperatures since the 1950s and the trend is expected
to continue over this century.”
According to the Guest Lecturer, a warmer climate could
increase malaria burden, adding that it is believed that
malaria epidemics can be predicted from climatic
indicators and climate forecasts. He said, “Increases in
temperature cause female adult anopheles mosquitoes
to feed more frequently, while warmer waters shorten
the juvenile incubation period leading to a faster
maturation period of vector larvae”.
Prof. Gumel warned that the Sub-saharan Africa, where
the overwhelming majority of malaria burden is
currently concentrated, is expected to experience
greater temperature increases than the global average.
He said also that as the global temperatures increase, a
shift in the distribution of vectors into non-endemic
areas may occur, so that malaria-endemic areas at
lower temperatures may experience an increase in
incidence, while regions at temperatures beyond the
transmission peak are likely to experience a decline in
incidence.
Prof. Gumel said, “The species involved in the
transmission dynamics of mosquito-borne diseases,
such as malaria, are affected by various abiotic
(physical/non-biological) conditions such as
temperature, precipitation, humidity and vapour
pressure. Many life history features both of the malaria
vector and the parasite are sensitive to temperature and
the presence of aquatic habitat for mosquito breeding.”
The Professor of Mathematics disclosed that empirical
studies show that in general, rates of larval mosquito
survival and development, biting and pathogen
replication rates increase with increasing temperature
up to an optimum value and then decrease rapidly as
lethal temperatures are approached.
He noted in contrast that the survival of adult
mosquitoes tends to decline with increasing
temperature.
Earlier in his opening address, the Vice-Chancellor of the
Univrsity of Ilorin, Prof. Ambali, stated that the
University has a visionary and positive agenda, adding
that it is committed to being ranked among the top
universities in the world.
Prof. Ambali pointed out that the University has
committed staff that are ready to work and take the
University to greater heights. He then  expressed the
desire of Unilorin to have a workable Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Arizona State University.
The Vice-Chancellora described the lecture topic as
important, noting that all disciplines are interrelated.