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  • How Chrisland pupil became global best in English

    How Chrisland pupil became global best in English

    Following in the footsteps of a 2023 alumna, Mmesomachukwu Okonkwo of VGC campus, who achieved the same global recognition, 16-year-old Naomi Olayinka, of Chrisland Schools, was named Top in the World in English as a Second Language in 2024 IGCSE examinations. Her success reaffirms the school’s commitment to nurturing confident, world-class scholars. DAMOLA KOLA-DARE writes.

    Honestly, I was speechless at first. It didn’t even sink in right away. When I realised what it meant, I just felt so grateful to God, to my teachers, my parents, and everyone who supported me. It was such a surreal moment, and all I could think about was how the hard work paid off.

    It feels amazing to be part of such a proud legacy. Chrisland has always inspired us to aim for excellence, and knowing that others before me achieved this gave me confidence that it was possible too. I feel honoured to continue that tradition and I hope my success encourages others as well.

    Inspiration and love

    I have always loved how English allows people to express their thoughts and emotions so beautifully. I believe it is a way of thinking and connecting with people. That perspective really made me fall in love with it even more.

    Preparing for IGCSE

    My routine was quite consistent. I set aside time every day to read, write essays, and review past questions. I also made sure to read novels, articles, and newspapers to expand my vocabulary and understanding. My teacher’s feedback on practice essays really helped me improve. I tried to stay disciplined but also took breaks when I needed to.

    Challenges

    Yes, definitely. There were times I felt overwhelmed balancing all my subjects and responsibilities. Sometimes I doubted myself too. But I learned to take things one step at a time and reminded myself to trust the process. My parents and teachers encouraged me constantly, and prayer gave me strength when I felt tired or unsure.

    Motivation

    My teachers were incredible. They were always patient and willing to explain things until I fully understood. My classmates also played a big role as we motivated each other and shared tips during study sessions. The school always gave us pep talks that reminded us that excellence is possible if we stay focused.

    Balancing time

    It wasn’t always easy, but I learned to manage my time carefully. I used weekends and free periods to catch up on work and made sure not to procrastinate. Being a prefect also taught me responsibility and discipline, which helped me stay organised in my studies too.

    Family support

    My family has been my biggest support system. My parents encouraged me to do my best but also reminded me to rest and take care of myself. They prayed with me, checked on my progress, and believed in me even when I was nervous. Their support meant everything.

    Read Also: Shettima returns to Abuja after showcasing Nigeria’s climate leadership at COP30

    Future aspiration

    I hope to become a lawyer and impact society meaningfully. I want to use my voice to stand for what’s right and help create a fairer community. My advice to other pupils is to stay consistent, listen to your teachers, and never underestimate the power of hard work and prayer. Don’t compare yourself to others, just keep growing and believe that you can achieve great things too.

    Striving for Excellence

     Director of Schools at Chrisland Schools Limited, Mrs Ayoola Akinyeye, noted that the feat was achieved  through deliberate systems that make learning purposeful and engaging, a rigorous curriculum delivered by passionate teachers, and a school culture that values curiosity, confidence, and disciplined effort.

    She said excellence, therefore, becomes a habit rather than an occasional triumph.

    Beyond classroom teaching, she said:  “Our mentoring culture is deeply personal and value-driven. Our Pastoral Care System – ‘The Teacher-Parenting Scheme’ helps every learner set high standards for themselves, believe in their potential, and take ownership of their progress.

    ‘‘Through teacher guidance, peer mentoring, and leadership programmes, we build in our pupils a sense of resilience, integrity, and community spirit. They learn that achievement is not accidental, it is built daily, through reflection, feedback, and perseverance.”

    She advised them to remain humble, stay curious, and keep growing, adding they should be consistent, courageous and have belief in their brilliance.

    Executive Head of Schools (Communications), Dr. Olajide Onigbogi, who also doubles as Regional head of Abuja and VGC schools, noted that the school’s success is rooted in its five core values – Discipline, Integrity, Professionalism, Love, and Excellence, represented in the acronym DISCIPLE.

    These values, he said, are not just written on the walls; they are lived daily by staff and learners while they shape teaching, learning and interaction.

    He said Chrisland learners have repeatedly been among the world’s best in recent years.

    “Most notably, Olayinka was named Top in the World in Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language in June 2024. Similarly, Somkenechukwu Onwusika ranked among Top 3 WASSCE results in Lagos State in the same year,” he added.

  • First Lady seeks legislative support for humanitarian projects

    First Lady seeks legislative support for humanitarian projects

    First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has called on the National Assembly to provide direct funding support for humanitarian and social intervention efforts led by her office and those of state First Ladies, lamenting persistent funding constraints that have hindered outreach to underserved communities across the country.

    Speaking on Monday at the second quarterly meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), her flagship social service platform, the First Lady emphasized the importance of structured legislative backing for the initiatives being driven by First Ladies at both the federal and state levels.

    “Most of the resources I used to work are just given to me by well-meaning Nigerians. It is whatever they give to me that I have to distribute to the First Ladies of various states. It’s difficult. So the government doesn’t run my office. I do a lot of collaboration, which you will see”, she said.

    Mrs. Tinubu, who served 12 years in the Senate, made a direct appeal to her former colleagues in the legislature to support a dedicated intervention fund for the Office of the First Lady, modeled after zonal intervention projects.

    “I want the Senate, I’m talking to my Senate colleagues now, because my going to the Senate for 12 years shouldn’t be in vain if they are not able to let a First Lady to take a project per year. I’m not going to go through the Ministry of Women Affairs… I’m going to the Senate”, she declared.

    According to her, the proposed arrangement would allow First Ladies to access funds responsibly and transparently, saying “even if it is N500 million they want to give us, if it is N1bn, then we are going to use it for this, and then we can be accountable.”

    “The point for me is this, after this place, I’m going to go back into society. I want to see what I can do to make society better,” she said, stressing that the position of a First Lady should not be reduced to ceremonial appearances.

    “We don’t want to sit in the Villa or in the government residences and be eating. It should be with the First Lady who wants to do work. She shouldn’t be restricted”, she added.

    Reiterating the broader purpose of the First Ladies’ engagements across the country, Mrs. Tinubu said, “We are wives. Whatever name we call ourselves, either a domestic engineer or whatever, we want to see our husbands succeed. Because you see, they are the trees and that tree has to stand strong. And so that is why we went out to make sure that at least we can do, number one, help our husbands succeed, and number two, help the vulnerable amongst us, those who are voiceless.”

    In a sharp reflection on national priorities, the First Lady urged a shift in mindset about Nigeria’s wealth and spending culture.

    “Nigeria, we can’t say we are a poor country. We are so blessed with a lot of resources. But we just have to have the right thinking. If you see the way we have parties in Nigeria, you wonder, is this a poor nation? We have parties for a whole week… Maybe it started from the palaces of kings in the day, but now individual festivals are going on. And we have to be mindful”, she said.

    Mrs. Tinubu used the occasion to launch the RHI Green Nigeria Challenge, a national tree-planting competition aimed at combating deforestation and halting the desert encroachment ravaging Nigeria’s northern states. 

    The initiative, she said, was inspired by her travels to the region and her observation of the alarming disappearance of tree cover.

    “I want us to grow trees. I discovered traveling to the North, mainly it’s void of trees. All you see is just dry land. But what I notice also, there are some trees that survive in the North,” she explained.

    The Green Nigeria Challenge will feature competitions at household, community, and state levels. 

    Individual households that participate in tree-planting may win up to N10 million, while community efforts could attract prizes up to N100 million. 

    A N100 million prize will also go to the best-performing state.

    “If it is community, we are looking at N100 million. If it is individual home, we are looking at N10 million,” she said.

    Enugu State was singled out for praise, with Mrs. Tinubu declaring it a model of environmental cleanliness, saying “we are exempting your state, because Enugu is clean and all green. So that is our model state. We are going to be presenting an award to them, and also, you know, some monetary compensation.”

    In addition to the environmental initiative, Mrs. Tinubu unveiled the NITDA-RHI Women’s ICT Training Programme for 2025, a digital empowerment scheme targeting 240 women nationwide—40 from each of the six geopolitical zones. 

    Read Also: First Lady calls for inclusive communities in support of refugees, IDPs

    Each participant will receive a laptop, bag, internet dongle, user manual, notebook, and a grant of N80,000, which she said is being considered for an upward review to N100,000.

    Reinforcing the commitment of state First Ladies to grassroots engagement, the First Lady of Kwara State and Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Wives Forum, Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, assured development partners and donors of the structured reach of their interventions.

    “We get lists from all the local governments right down to the grassroots. That way, we make sure it gets to the absolute indigent in all the states”, she said, noting that each senatorial district is represented in RHI’s programs.

    According to her, most of the health-related projects are run through existing primary healthcare centers to ensure accessibility in remote communities.

    Monday’s stakeholder meeting followed the March 2025 inaugural quarterly meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative, where Mrs. Tinubu had announced a N1.85 billion grant program to empower persons with disabilities in business across the country.

    The event was attended by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, the wives of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Deputy Senate President, as well as First Ladies from across several Nigerian states.

  • Five Chrisland pupils get eStar awards

    Five Chrisland pupils get eStar awards

    Five students of Chrisland Schools are first in Africa to receive an eStars award. eStars is an innovative educational esports platform in the United Kingdom.

    Khadijah Alege, Khalid Olatunji, Brian Leghemo, Adeolu Adewumi, and Ayomide Ojo were recognised at the launch of eStars at the British High Commission in Lagos.

    Eleven-year-old Alege, a year seven-old pupil, earned a star award as the top of five students honoured by eStars at the event, which marked the launch of a strategic partnership between Chrisland Schools Limited and eStars.

    Read Also: Chrisland’s Khadija Alege emerges first to receive an eStar award in Africa

    The stellar performances of Chrisland Schools’ students globally explain why platforms like eStars introduce innovative academic and game-changing initiatives to the school.

    Chrisland Schools’ Mmesomachukwu Okonkwo emerged as the top candidate in the world in English as a Second Language (Speaking Endorsement) at the 2022 Cambridge IGCSE. Oluwabukolami Adeyemi secured the top spot in the world in law and received the High Achievement Award for Cambridge AS Level Psychology in 2022.

    Also, recently, Zara Sule emerged as the Gold Medalist at the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2023 (Senior Category).

  • Chrisland: Court to rule on admissibility of evidence May 2

    Chrisland: Court to rule on admissibility of evidence May 2

    Justice Oyindamola Ogala of Ikeja High Court, on Thursday, adjourned until May 2 to rule on the admissibility of treasury receipts used for the Agege Stadium where the 12-year-old Chrisland School student, Whitney Adeniran, allegedly died.

    This position was reached by Ogala following arguments and counter-arguments on the admissibility of the exhibits identified by the prosecution witness, Mr Yakubu Jubril, a social worker at the Ministry of Youth and Social Development.

    During the continuation of cross-examination by the third defence counsel, Mr Olukayode Enitan, (SAN), the witness was asked to identify some documents he claimed to be government treasury receipts.

    The learned silk informed the court that the documents were dated Nov. 7 2018, Jan. 8, 2020, Sept. 26, 2016 and Jan. 9, 2023, which were payments for use of the Agege Stadium.

    The witness identified them as documents from the Lagos State Government Youth Sport and Social Development.

    However, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, objected that the witness was not the maker of the documents.

    The third defence counsel, however, argued that they were treasury receipts for the use of Agege Stadium by Chrisland School.

    He said the documents were relevant because the Lagos State Government collected payments for the use of the facility.

    Other defendants counsel aligned with the senior advocate’s submission.

    Counsel to Chrisland School, (fifth defendant), Mr Ajibola Ariba, argued that the evidence must be relevant to the issue.

    Ariba said the officer of the Lagos State Government identified the documents.

    The witness, while responding to the question asked by the third defence counsel, told the court that the school did not report the incident at the station when it happened.

    Read Also: Chrisland School opens boarding facility in Abuja

    He added that apart from the Ministry of Education, the police, safety commission and Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team needed to know about the incident.

    The witness also admitted before the court that all facilities rendering services to children must report serious occurrence of event.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos State Government on March 31, 2023, charged Chrisland School Ltd. Opebi, its principal and vice principal and two others with the killing of Whitney.
    Those charged alongside the school are Ademoye Adewale (a cotton candy vendor), Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao (Principal) and Victoria Nwatu.

    (NAN)

  • Whitney Adeniran: ‘How Chrisland violated Child Protection Policy’

    Whitney Adeniran: ‘How Chrisland violated Child Protection Policy’

    A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja  yesterday heard how Chrisland School, Opebi violated the state’s Safety and Child Protection Policy.

    A witness, Yakubu Jubril told the court that had the school complied with the policy, the sad incident of February 9, 2023  which led to the death of Whitney Adeniran could have been avoided.

    Whitney Adeniran died February 9, last year  during the school’s inter-house sports competition held at Agege Stadium.

    The 1st to 5th defendants are Ademoye Adewale, Kuku Fatai, the Principal, Belinda Amao, Victoria Nwatu and Chrisland School .

    Jubril, who is the Assistant Director and Head of Unit, Schools Social Work Services and Grade Level 16 officer, said this while being led in evidence before Justice Oyindamola Ogala by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr Jide Martins.

    Read Also: Chrisland pupil was dead before movement to hospital, father alleges

    Jubril told the court that the school has 556 students out of which 377 were prepared to participate in the inter house sports.

    “That day, over 500 were transported to the venue by the school without necessary care,” he said.

    Listing how Chrisland School violated the  Safety and Child Protection Policy of the state, the witness further told the court that the school has no designated Child Protection officer as required by Order 4,5 and 6.

    “For the population of over 500, the emergency preparedness is close to none as the school had just one nurse on ground,” he said.

    The witness who was stating the outcome of investigation conducted into the incident further told the court that there was no ambulance available on ground to convey students to hospital in case of emergency.

  • Colleagues defend Chrisland School’s supervisor in court

    Two teachers from Chrisland School, Lekki on Tuesday defended their supervisor, Adegboyega Adenekan, accused of defiling a two-year-old pupil two years ago.

    Adenekan, 47, was charged before an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court for allegedly inserting his manhood into the child’s private parts.

    The incident happened in December 2017 on the school premises when the child was two years and eleven months old.

    In her testimony, the victim said the supervisor defiled her in his office and in the toilet.

    Adenekan pleaded not guilty.

    When the case came up on Tuesday before Justice Sybil Nwaka, the Assistant Head Teacher, Mrs Tolulope Adebola, said there was no way the defendant could have defiled the child on the school premises.

    Led in evidence by the defence counsel, Olatunde Adejuyigbe, SAN, Adebola, who said she had worked for the school for 19 years, said the victim gave conflicting accounts of where the incident happened.

    Read More: My wife is a street fighter, man tells court

    “When the matter was reported to the school, the victim’s mother was invited. She came along with her friend whom she described as a lawyer and church member.

    “She told us that she is the only one that bathes her daughter. But when the child was brought from her class for questioning, she said, ‘Aanu use to bath me and hurt my bum bum .’

    ‘The child’s mother was visibly disturbed on hearing that. She then opened up and said Aanu is her husband’s niece.

    The witness said when the child was asked to show where Adenekan defiled her, she took them to the Assembly Ground, which is an open space.

    She said her mother shouted at her and told her to show them the other place she was defiled and the child took them to the canteen.

    “I was shocked because the canteen is a very busy place where we have the maintenance office, the driver’s lounge and the kitchen. There was no way she could have been defiled there.

    “This child was in Kindergarten II at that time and Adenekan was a Supervisor of the primary school section. His office was on the last floor. There was no way he could have taken the child out of the class without the teacher or assistant teacher being aware,” the witness said.

    The victim’s class teacher, Ruth Ujunwa, children in her class were always escorted to and fro the restroom.

    “The child is intelligent I agree, but there is no way a two-year-old child can draw manhood. We don’t teach pre-school children how to draw. We treat these children like babies because of their age, so we accompany them everywhere within the school premises.

    “The school is well structured. My Lord, so such a thing could never have happened,” Ujunwa maintained.

    Justice Nwaka adjourned till June 25.

  • Raped Chrisland schoolchild recounts ‘bad things’ done to her

    Child X, the pupil allegedly defiled by Adegboyega Adenekan, a 47-year-old Chrisland School supervisor, on Thursday testified at an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence court in Lagos and confirmed that she was abused.

    Child X, who is now four-years-old, was two years and 11-months at the time the alleged defilement occurred serially in 2016 at the Victoria Garden City (VGC) branch of the school.

    The trial which was slated to begin at 2pm, due to other matters, did not start until 3.26pm. It ended at 5.53pm.

    Before Child X’s testimony, Justice Sybil Nwaka, had ordered that members of the public vacate the public gallery of the courtroom. However, she allowed journalists and lawyers to witness the testimony.

    When Child X was brought into the courtroom, the judge rose from her bench to sit by a desk opposite Child X.

    Justice Nwaka engaging Child X in small talk said: “I love your shoes, we are all your uncle and aunties here. Do you like the building? Do you know why you are here?”

    Child X said: “I’m here to talk about the bad things Mr Adenekan did to me.”

    Justice Nwaka responding said: “You know you are here to tell the truth, Jesus loves children and what do your Sunday School teachers tell you?”

    Child X: “Always tell the truth.”

    Before Child X took oath as a witness, Justice Nwaka repeated to her not to be afraid to tell the truth and that the people in the courtroom are all her friends.

    The judge warned journalists against taking photographs, making recordings or revealing the identity of Child X.

    The prosecution led by Mr Jide Boye, the Chief State Counsel led the child in evidence by asking a series of questions and getting the following responses from her.

    Prosecution: “How old are you?”

    Child X: “Four”

    Prosecution: “How many schools have you attended?”

    Child X: “Two”

    Prosecution:” What are the names of the schools?”

    Child X: “Chrisland, Grange School”

    Prosecution pointing across the room to Adenekan: “Do you know him?”

    Child X: “No”

    Prosecution: “Who is Mr Adenekan?”

    Child X: “When I go to class after recess, I see Mr Adenekan after recess”

    Prosecution: “What did Mr Adenekan do to you?”

    Child X: “He put his mouth in my wee-wee, the first time he did that, he took me out of the class. The second time, I ran. I tried to report to my teacher but my teacher did not believe me, so I reported to my mummy.

    “First time he did it was inside his office which was the toilet, the second time he did it was in the hall which was outside.

    “I did not like what he did, he put his hand in my wee-wee, he put his wee-wee in my wee-wee and he put his mouth in my wee-wee.”

    The prosecution at this point proceeded to show Child X three photographs, one of which was Adenekan’s.

    Child X identified Adenekan’s photograph.

    Child X said: “This is Mr Adenekan, I remember how he used to greet me but I don’t know where he is.”

    Prosecution: “How did you feel when he was doing it to you?”

    Child X: “I felt I should tell my mummy, I felt pain.”

    Prosecution: “When he did it, what were you wearing?”

    Child X: “My Chrisland School uniform.”

    Prosecution: “Can you describe how he did it to you?”

    Child X: “He put his hand under my uniform, he put his hand in my wee-wee, pull my uniform down and it was really really paining me.

    “When it was really really paining me, I screamed and he covered my mouth like this (demonstrated with hand over her mouth).

    “I couldn’t do anything because he covered my mouth. When I was trying to remove it (his hand) he tightened my mouth.”

    Prosecution: “Describe his office”

    Child X: “I cannot remember.”

    The defence counsel, Mr Olatunde Adejuyigbe (SAN) opposed the tendering as evidence, the three photographs shown to Child X during proceedings. According to him, the prosecution did not comply with Section 86 of the Evidence Act.

    In his submission Boye told the court that in accordance with Section 84 of the Evidence Act, photographs are no longer secondary evidence but primary evidence and as a result, the photographs should be admitted as evidence.

    In a short ruling Justice Nwaka said: “I cannot agree more with the prosecution. These photographs do not have a certificate. I mark them tendered but rejected.”

    While cross-examining Child X, Adejuyigbe asked her the following questions.

    Defence: “Do you like to draw?”

    Child X: ” I don’t know how to draw yet but I like to draw”

    Defence: “You said something really really pained you, when you got home did you tell your mummy about it?”

    Child X: “Yes”

    Child X responding to Adejuyigbe’s questions, recalled some of her pre-school teachers at Chrisland School.

    Defence: “Did anyone tell you before that he will kill you?”

    Child X: “I don’t know what that means”

    Defence: “Did you see Mr Adenekan today,?”

    Child X: “I only saw him in the picture.”

    Defence: “Do you know there are three tables in Mr Adenekan’s office? ”

    Child X: “No”

    Defence: “His office is not near your class, do you remember?”

    Child X: “No”

    Defence: “Have you entered Mr Adenekan’s office before?”

    Child X: “Only when he did the bad things to me”

    Defence: “Did he take anyone else with you?”

    Child X: “No”

    Defence: “Did you take your mummy to any corner?”

    Child X: “No when I told her what happened to me, she changed my school.”

    Defence: “Does your aunty (name withheld) bath for you?”

    Child X: “Sometimes her but everytime my mummy.”

    Defence: “Have you seen the police before?”

    Child X: “I have seen them guarding the door at the gate before I enter my school gate.”

    Defence: “Is there a doctor’s office at your school? ”

    Child X: “Yes”

    Defence: “Do you go to the toilet alone in school? ”

    Child X: “When I want to go by myself they (teachers) still follow me”

    Defence: “Did anyone tell you what to say when you get here?”

    Child X: “No”

    Earlier during the cross-examination of Child X’s mother, the video in which Child X was portraying her alleged defilement at a clinical psychologist’s office was replayed in court by the defence.

    The mother (name withheld) admitted to the defence that some parts of the sessions of Child X’s interview with the clinical psychologist were not recorded.

    “At the time she started drawing the private part, I can confirm to you that I was in the corner of the room and I only asked my child questions regarding the defendant’s name,” she said.

    The mother also told the court that she reported to the police that the defendant took her child to a corner in the school where he allegedly defiled her.

    “I mentioned the corner to the police and it is in my statement. Like I said before, I initially wanted to cover it up.

    “I mentioned it to the school authorities but I later told them to forget it that it never happened.

    “I was afraid of people like you (pointing at the SAN), it is a shameful act,” she tearfully said.

    Justice Sybil Nwaka adjourned the case until May 21 for continuation of trial at 11am.

  • Chrisland varsity matriculates second set

    Chrisland varsity matriculates second set

    The Founder, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Dr Winifred Awosika, has charged newly-admitted students of the university to allow the light of Chrisland Schools shine through them.

    Awosika gave the charge during the second matriculation of the university for the 2016/2017 academic session.

    In accordance with the school’s 40-year old motto, ‘Show forth the light’, Awosika advised the matriculating students to project the Chrisland light through their behaviour, attitude and character.

    “It is by so doing that the world would see the intellectual radiance in you,”Awosika told the new students.

    She said the university was established to bring out the best in students, adding that it would grow from humble beginnings to becoming world-class.

    “When you start from a humble beginning and put your soul into it, you will succeed,” she said, advising the new students to be focused, hardworking, dedicated, and strike a balance between social life and academic pursuit.

    The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Christian Jacobs, charged the students to demonstrate high competency in their daily academic activities by focusing on intellectual freedom, ethical standards and making tangible contributions to research and community service. He said management also promised them an environment that nurtures sound, moral, intellectual culture and attracts a blend of faculty from across the world.

    Registrar of the institution, Mr. Biodun Lawale, administered the matriculation oath on the new students that would study Accounting, Political Science, Psychology, Industrial Chemistry, Microbiology, Mathematics and Physics, among others.

  • FUNAAB to mentor Mountain Top, Chrisland varsities

    The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) is to mentor two newly-approved private universities.

    The institutions are: Mountain Top University (MTU) and Chrisland University, both in Ogun State.

    Its Vice-Chancellor, Prof Olusola Oyewole, spoke while receiving officers of the institutions, who visited him to seek partnership on staff development, knowledge exchange, facilities sharing and other areas that would promote teaching, learning and research in line with the National Universities Commission’s (NUC’s) standards.

    Receiving the team from the MTU, owned by the Mountain of Fire and Ministries (MFM), Oyewole said he was delighted when FUNAAB received a memo from the NUC, urging the institution to mentor MTU for five years.

    With a staff of 562 (academic) and 1,421 (non-teaching), a student population of 15,000 (undergraduate) and 1,500 (postgraduate) across 10 colleges and a postgraduate school, as well as 27 years’experience as a university, Oyewole said FUNAAB has the experience to mentor the institutions.

    The vice chancellor noted that the university has unique programmes that would be of interest to MTU, such as the Community-Based Farming Scheme (COBFAS), Graduate Farming Employment Scheme (GRADFES) and the commercial Tree-Crop Plantation Programme.

    He, however, charged the MTU team to prepare a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would include their expectations, as well as define the extent of the collaboration between both institutions.

    Responding, MTU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Elijah Ayolabi, said the partnership was divinely designed.

    “When the NUC told us that FUNAAB would be our mentor, I think God must have been working behind the scene.

    “University of Lagos is the closest to us; we were not given to them but we were sent here and only to discover that, it is like sending us home, because we found out that we have our own, someone who understands our language, the mission and vision of the proprietor of the university, who would be able to support us, both physically and spiritually”, he said.

    Chairman, Board of Trustees of MTU, Prof Akintunde Obilade, also agreed that the choice of FUNAAB as mentor was not by accident.

    The delegation was later taken on a tour of some places, such as the Directorate of University Farms (DUFARMS), Industrial Park Unit and the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR).

    Similarly, while welcoming the Chrisland delegation during their visit, Prof Oyewole said FUNAAB was ready to mentor the institution and others that required such intervention.

    A member of the council of the Chrisland University, Prof Adebayo Odebiyi, said the visit became imperative to help the university start on the right foundation.