‘FUOYE has Potential of Becoming Africa’s Best University’

Raheem Akingbolu
  

The newly appointed Chairman of Governing Council, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, (FUOYE), Mr. Olukayode Ojo, has promised to ensure that the university would be a globally recognised institution of learning.

Ojo, with other members who was in the school on a three-day working visit for inspection of projects and familiarisation tour of the Oye and Ikole Ekiti campuses of the school, said that he was impressed with what he saw on ground and described FUOYE as an institution with potentials for greatness.

He commended the management of the school for sustaining the vision of the federal government in establishing the university said the council was determined to work hand-in-hand with the vice chancellor of the school to sustain the tempo and take it a notch higher.

The council’s chairman, however, expressed his reservation over inadequate facilities in respect of the surging student population and promised to bring it to the attention of the federal government and other relevant authorities.

He said: “This institution is very important. With the student population and the fact that this is one of the most subscribed by prospective JAMB candidates, it is obvious that the facilities here presently are below 50 percent of the required infrastructures for such growth.

“We need government intervention immediately and we will do everything humanly possible and within the prism of law to attract government attention.

“We are very optimistic that we will get a lot of support from different agencies of government and other well-meaning people so that we can meet up rapidly with the infrastructural needs of the university. 

“These facilities are needed so that the students can be well prepared for the future. As you are aware, this institution has multiple campuses. So we are going to make a case that the university be treated as such.”  

Speaking further, Ojo said that the council is currently proposing to come up with a developmental plan so that they could factor where the government interventions would be needed and where individuals could step in.

He pointed out that the school requires external support to complement government financial responsibility to the university while emphasising the fact that education is a social service that students alone could not pay the amount needed.

Ojo therefore, urged both government and individuals to step in to further impact the institution.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of FUOYE, Professor Abayomi Fasina, said that his management team was elated to receive Ojo and other council members.

Fasina described the period of their appointment as timely for the upliftment of the 13 year-old institution.

Speaking to journalists on the sideline of the visit, Fasina stated that the management has touched all aspects of the university positively starting from academic to farming activities.

According to him, “we now have 16 hectares of palm tree and pineapple which is one way to support the federal government on food security.

“Of course, we also use it as training for our students. We have also built several classrooms, at least more than 40 as I speak. We have changed the face of the university that is why I am not surprised that the university is ranked 4th most subscribed in Nigeria.

“The courses are available, the qualities of our lecturers are good and we have a stable calendar. Looking at all parameters, you know the FUOYE is growing and will continue to grow. 

“You will recall that eight of our students recently passed ICAN at 300 level and six of them got scholarships from degree to PhD level in a foreign university. If they are not good, they won’t be achieving these feats.”