FUOYE VC hails Tinubu as 3,281 students benefit from NELFUND

From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti

The Vice Chancellor of Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Abayomi Fasina, has hailed President Bola Tinubu for his steadfast support of the institution and for the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) intervention, disclosing that no fewer than 3,281 students have benefited from NELFUND and that the university has received a total of N305,757,700 from the Federal Government to support those students who applied for the loan.

He also disclosed that a total of 8,444 students would be graduating from different departments and they would be awarded various degrees of the university during the 9th convocation ceremonies.

Fasina stated these on Monday at the press conference heralding the activities for the week-long ceremonies, where he noted that 177 of the graduands would be awarded First Class degrees.

Fasina said, “I express my profound gratitude to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his steadfast support of FUOYE, as well as for the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and TETFUND interventions. I also sincerely appreciate Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of Ekiti State for his ongoing partnership.

“Furthermore, my heartfelt thanks go to the Senate, the University Management, staff, students, and all stakeholders whose dedication and hard work have been instrumental in advancing FUOYE’s mission.
The success of FUOYE is a collective achievement, and I am incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished together.”

Giving the breakdown of the graduating students and the class of degrees to be awarded, Fasina said, ” Out of the 8,191 first degree graduands , 177 would be graduating with First Class, 3,466 with Second Class Upper Division, 3715 with Second Class Lower Division, 831 Third Class and 02 for Pass.

He added, for the 253 Postgraduate graduands, 38 would earn Ph.D , 211 to bag MSc/MBA and 04 for PGD.

Fasina who described the 14-year- old FUOYE as the fastest growing university, said the university under him has witnessed tremendous progress.

Reeling out the achievements of his administration since assumption of office, the Professor.of Soil Science said his administration has constructed 156 projects in the last four years.

He said, “these key accomplishments have shaped FUOYE into the institution it is today, and to provide a glimpse into our ongoing journey toward excellence.”

He noted that some of the newly constructed projects by his administration would be commissioned during the ceremonies.

He listed some of the new projects to be commissioned to include, 1,000-Seater Auditorium, Fasina Conference Centre, 3-in-1 Faculty of Science Laboratory, New CBT Centre (Phase III), Professorial Complex, Faculty of Education Building
Faculty of Law Complex,
Innovation Laboratory among others.

“An institution’s physical infrastructure is essential for fostering an environment of learning, creativity, and collaboration. FUOYE has seen an impressive expansion of its facilities during my tenure.

“In the last four years we have been able to build 156 projects. What we did when we came on board, we said any project on this campus with a blue roof is this administration’s project.

“These projects are scattered all over the campus. Our own legacy is blue roof, any other colour is not our own administration. Any building that is blue was built by our own administration.”

He highlighted other key accomplishments of his administration to include, Strengthening Academic Foundations, Capacity building initiatives, Research excellence and international recognition, Commitment to staff welfare, Infrastructure development, Recognition, Awards, Fellowships And Accolades for the University among other accomplishments.

During the ceremonies, the ivory tower would confer Honorary Degrees (Honoris Causa) on four exceptional individuals who have made lasting contributions to their fields.

They are: Senator Kanu Godwin Agabi, (SAN), Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, Chief Christopher Adebayo Ojo, (SAN) Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, Mr. Segun Alebiosu, Managing Director, First Bank of Nigeria and Dr Allen Onyema – Chairman, Air peace Airline.

Justifying the reason they were selected, the VC said, “these individuals represent the values we hold dear at FUOYE: integrity, excellence, and service to humanity.

“They are the people celebrated in their various fields. We keep loosing the best hands to overseas because they are not being celebrated here

“We picked them on their past achievements. We are not talking about money. We are talking about what they have done in the past.”