A visiting team from the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, to the Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies, Iragbiji, Osun State, has disclosed the feasibility of commencing academic activities at the new university before the end of 2025.
The team lead, Mrs. Ilyasu, Director of the University Education Department, made this disclosure on Tuesday during an on-the-spot assessment of available facilities, following the recent approval for the establishment of the university by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The inspection team visited the Administrative Block, Take-off Site, and Permanent Campus of the new university.
Addressing the press at the permanent site, the Director said, “Based on the time the approval was given by the President and now, I like to say that you have started well. Your commitment shows you’re ready to take the bull by the horns.
“When we get to Abuja, we are going to make sure that we do our own part to ensure this institution is mentioned among the newly established institutions. This will give it the power to be inserted in the JAMB brochure so that any student that wants to come in by September should be able to go for a change of institution
“Before that, I think the next thing is to have the principal officers. And once you have the principal officers, the National University Commission (NUC), being represented by Dr Victoria Pillah, will come around for Resource Verification, where the NUC would tell the Principal Officers what and what to do based on the needs of the University and the community.
“We are satisfied with what we have seen, a hospitable community where people are happy with themselves, the Administrative Block where principal officers would use as offices, and the Take-off Site, which, according to the Engineer, would be ready soon; so, we believe that the University is ready to receive students by October.
“We are not doubting your ability as a community, and we are going to relay everything we have seen, and those told us by Kabiyesi and the wife of the Minister, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola, regarding the availability of quarters that could accommodate principal officers, as this would ginger the Federal Government to announce them very soon.”
Meanwhile, the team had earlier arrived in Iragbiji the previous day, Monday, on a three-day inspection visit, and was first received by the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council Chairman of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Oba Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi Odundun IV, who thereafter led the delegation to the wife of the Hon. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola.
Speaking both at the palace and later at a meeting with Mrs Oyetola, the Director said the visit was an official assignment of the Ministry, routinely embarked upon to ascertain available facilities and the feasibility of the new university’s take-off.
Giving his welcome address earlier at his palace, the monarch expressed gratitude to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and the team, with hope that the visit would quicken the process of the commencement of academic activities at the new university.
“Our prayer as a community is for the stakeholders to ensure commencement of programmes in the University before end of this year”, Aragbiji said.
Also addressing the team while playing host to the Ilyasu-led delegation, the wife of the Minister, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola, assured them of the readiness of the community for the new university’s immediate take-off.
“I have personal properties, hectares of land and structures that I’m ready to relinquish to the management of our new University for use, just as Kabiyesi Aragbiji has also shown rare patriotism and commitment, as one of the few royal examples, to also relinquish his personal belongings for use by the University”, the Minister’s wife said, adding that her husband, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, would have loved to receive the team but had left the country for France on official representation of the President before the arrival of the team.
Others in the visiting team include a Deputy Director representing the National University Commission (NUC), Dr. Victoria Pillah; another Deputy Director from the Department of University Education at the Ministry, Mr Emmanuel Onung; and two Assistant Directors from the same department, Mr Paul Okpe and Mrs Martha Ayesukwe.
