Don Seeks Inclusion of Monotechnics as Beneficiaries of TETFund to Drive Research, Devt

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan 

The Provost, Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan, Dr. Ibrahim Lawal, has called for the inclusion of monotechnics across the country as beneficiaries of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), to aid research and infrastructural development.

Lawal  while briefing journalists in Ibadan, as part of activities marking the 85th anniversary of the college and 76th-83rd combined convocation ceremony, said it would be unfair to continue to exclude monotechnics as beneficiaries of TETFund, stating that if adequate funding is made available for monotechnics most of the problems confronting the country in the health sector would have become a thing of the past.

He disclosed that the college has designed some courses with the sole aim of combating terminal ailments, as well environmental challenges, maintaining that introducing courses like Bio-Science and Indigenous Knowledge Science and Bio-Technology comes at the right time as it will provide opportunity to train and teach the students the potent and usage of herbal medicine.

“There is need for the federal government to enlist the monotechnics as beneficiaries of the TETFund. With the monotechnics benefitting it would go a long way in helping them towards giving our children the best of education like in our own College which is the hub for protecting environmental issue in the country.

“We are introducing courses that will expose the students to so many things including the importance of herbal medicine and how to take good care of the society. Investment in further research on herbal medicine will serve as succour to the high cost of the conventional drugs in the society.

“We are training students to combat the environmental issue as well researching on the way of combating the climate change and ensuring that flooding and deforestation become a thing of the past in the country.”

Speaking on the scheduled convocation ceremony, Lawal said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo who he described as a forester will deliver the anniversary lecture titled, ’85th Year of Nurturing Nature; The Legacy and Future of Forestry Education in Nigeria’, while illustrious alumni will be honoured with Alumnus Award. 

He stated that the six-day event which commenced with Jumat service last Friday and has other activities that include exhibition by departments and novelty match will be rounded up on Thursday, October 24 with convocation and fund raising ceremony.

“We certainly have every cause to celebrate the college in its 85th year of existence. Thus we would have in our midst many important high profile personalities, friends of the environment and people who understand and appreciate the importance of sustaining our forests, people who deeply understand nature and know that ‘when the last tree dies, the last man on earth dies as well’,” Lawal said.