The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FUNAAB

  • ICAN rates FUNAAB high in Accounting

    The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has passed a vote of confidence on the Accounting programme run by the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) describing it as “very strong” and the students “not found wanting at all”.

    ICAN’s accreditation team gave the pass mark when it visited the university for the re-accreditation of her B.Sc. Accounting programme.

    Leader of the team, Prof Ishola Akintoye, said: “I want to put it on record that your university for the past few years is already on the record of ICAN.  Your students are not found wanting at all and this shows your programme is very strong.”

    Akintoye said accreditation exercise is important because it ascertains that the curriculum of the Accounting Department has not fallen below the standard.

    The team leader added that while students of accredited institutions are granted some levels of exemption in the number of professional examination to be written, those from non-accredited institutions have to write the entire examination.

    Professor Akintoye also said that the institute’s professional accreditation does not negate the accreditation done by the National Universities Commission (NUC) but rather strengthens it, adding that ICAN does not associate with institutions that do not have accreditation from NUC.

    Speaking on areas in which ICAN can be of assistance to the university, Akintoye said the institute had a research grant of N50million the institution could access.

    “We have a grant, about N50 million grant, we call it research grant for staff who want to pursue PhD. Currently we give each researcher the sum of N500,000 to assist them. As for the students, if they have Student Week, we also have a little bit of grant that they can access”.

    He said there were also grants that could be accessed to set up laboratories as well as a scholarship which can be accessed by students with Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.5 and above, adding that the scholarship is not restricted to Accounting students alone.

    The team also expressed solidarity with the university for the retention of its Management Sciences programmes, expressing its willingness to be of assistance in any way possible.

    Speaking on the subject of having a College of Management Science in a specialised university, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Kolawole Salako said:”The issue of specialised universities is that every course you are teaching should be tailored to the main area of focus, but people don’t understand that if you are teaching engineering, it should also be tailored to how to boost agriculture. Engineering should be different from the basic engineering, as there are many things to do in agriculture, like dams, electrification of rural areas, that require engineering fundamentals, this has kept us hammering on the need for related courses”.

    He also emphasised the importance of Management Science to agriculture, disclosing that he is still working and keeping faith alive that the College of Management Sciences will be restored in the university with the support of the other stakeholders.

  • FUNAAB host communities laud road repairs

    Stakeholders, mostly from the host communities of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) have praised the University Vice-Chancellor, Prof Kolawole Salako for rehabilitating the deplorable 5.6km Camp/Alabata Road that leads to the institution.

    Repair of the road was one of the priority areas of the Vice-Chancellor which he disclosed at the last Congregation Meeting of the university about five months ago.

    Director of Physical Planning of the university, Mr Babatunde Anasanwo, said the road which caused staff, students, and members of the host communities untold hardship, would soon be completed.

    “The university has made tremendous progress and the rehabilitation is almost completed because the most critical areas have been taken care of.

    “We have taken care of the critical portions of the road covering Camp to Ogun Oshun River Basin DevelopmentAuthority (OORBDA). What is left is the patching towards FUNAAB Main Gate, but we, have done the critical portions,” he said.

    Even with the state of the road now nearing completion, outpouring of commendations have been trailing Prof. Salako and his team for taking the initiative of fixing the road.

    A community leader, who gave his name as Baale Adekunle, congratulated the Vice-Chancellor and his team wishing them more successes.

    Praising the Vice-Chancellor and his team during a recent meeting with Management, the Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alabata Road Unit, Mr. Adewale Adegboyega said the rehabilitation was a relief to transporters.

    He said the previous state of the road had forced some of their members to pull out of the Camp/Alabata Road route.

    A lecturer, Prof Sam Wobo, in a text to the VC titled: “Less we forget to appreciate”, said it was difficult commuting to work when the road was bad.

    He said: “Sometimes over four years, we battled our way to work each day through a terrible damaging road that claimed some lives, vehicles got damaged and some abandoned due to high cost of fixing the vehicles.

    “We saw a glimpse of what was to come during his inauguration by earth road fixing.  He gave his words to fight towards fixing the road.  Several trips to Abuja and constant phone calls with assurances, today I drove smoothly from Camp Junction to work with few places undergoing attention.

    “It takes a performer to recognise performance.  I salute and appreciate Prof Felix K. Salako and his team for the great feat.  You have proved your mettle.”

    The Vice-Chancellor said the rehabilitation of the Camp/Alabata road was fully funded by the Federal Government.

    He thanked the Visitor to the University, President Muhammadu Buhari for his support towards the rehabilitation even as he solicited for more support through prompt disbursement of funds for the road.

  • FUNAAB honours Buhari

    The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) inaugurated a car park/bus stop in President Muhammadu Buhari’s honur to mark its 30th anniversary and Founder’s Day.

    The project, undertaken by the immediate past executive of the Students’ Union (SU), was inuagurated by the incumbent SU President, Comrade Popoola Ayobami, popularly known as Dasilva.

    According to Popoola, the car park would be known as President Muhammadu Buhari Car Park/Bus Stop, with the aka acronym ‘PMB square’.

    The two accompanying shed stands were also named; one in honour of the incumbent Vice Chancellors, Prof Felix Kolawole Salako, and the other for his predecessor Oluwafisayomi Adelaja, (now late).

    Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE shortly after the event, Popoola expressed happiness over the completion of the project, describing it as a dream come true.

    He also said the car park would address one of the problems of the institution.

    He said: “This is going to be a welcome development because we have just been able to salvage one of the problems affecting the university, which is a key factor to the growth of the university.

    “What we have just done is one of its kind, which is a landmark in the history of students’ unionism and we have not had any regret for embarking on this project.”

    Before cutting the ribbon, the vice chancellor appreciated the students and the union executives for their good conduct which made the project see the light of day.

    Prof Salako also described the project as one that would alleviate the sufferings of students, who usually wait for hours for vehicles after lectures.

    He said: “It (the project) is going to be a lot of relief for commercial vehicles going from the gate to the campus. Definitely, people are going to have a space to sit while waiting for vehicles, the commercial vehicles will also be relieved having a conducive environment to really do their work. This project will go a long way in terms of community relationships.”

    The naming was done to appreciate President Buhari-led administration’s efforts to dualise Camp-Alabata Road leading to the main campus. “The road has been abandoned for years until recently when little attention was given to it. Though the road needs total reconstruction because its design  was done more than 20 years ago. This cannot match the 21st Century demand on the road. So, there’s need for Federal Government, especially the Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Power to look into this and do the needful.

    “Our decision was based on the fact that we appreciate the efforts of Federal Government led by President Buhari on the anti-corruption crusade, economy and security nationwide as well as the dualisation of Camp-Alabata road leading to main campus.

    “This is the first time President Buhari would be honoured at FUNAAB and this honour was carried out by students’ leader led by the number one student on campus Comrade Da Silva.

    “It behoves the Federal Government, especially President Buhari, to give this number one University of Agriculture in Africa and one of the best in the world, the needed attention and funding so that  food insecurity could be addressed by transformative and proactive ideas from these students of Agriculture driven by technology.”

  • FUNAAB Radio celebrates anniversary

    Last week Tuesday, March 26, FUNAAB Radio 89.5FM, the broadcast station owned by the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), which prides itself as the Sound of Abundance, marked its first anniversary of transmission with fanfare. Not a few people wondered the big deal about the celebration.

    The Station Co-ordinator, Mr Ayo Arowojolu has an answer. He told the august assembly of eminent personalities, including media barons that there was more to broadcasting, which to him, must bring about satisfaction to the multi-varied audience.

    Arowojolu, a former Acting Head of Omegabank Plc, said: “FUNAAB Radio is a pioneering initiative, which was delayed for 10 years owing to regulatory hurdles. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) could not quickly issue out our broadcast licence. But for the 10-year waiting period, we hit the ground running by conceptualising our content and developing our niche. For a radio project like this, you need to do a lot of branding, which will say a lot about excellence and professionalism. Ours was an instant success.

    “I recalled that prior to commencement of transmission sometime last year, the Certification Team of NBC, which came on inspection of our facilities were initially reluctant to approve our take-off. They looked at the quality and sophistication of our equipment, which we purchased directly from a leading manufacturing company based in Glasgow, United Kingdom and also the whole setting of our studio. They asked: ‘Are you sure this is a campus radio or are you planning to run a commercial radio station?’

    ‘’With the assurance that we gave them, they eventually approved that we proceed on transmission. Yet, the NBC was not comfortable with our mantra, which we styled as The Best Radio on Radio. It was at that point that we had to settle for our pay-off, the Sound of Abundance “. The point I have tried to make is that we set out to be the best and we have nothing short of it.”

    The University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development, Prof Lateef Sanni, who doubles as Chairman, FUNAAB Radio Management Board, corroborated this stance, disclosing that the 31-year- old university is known for quality and, therefore, would not spare anything to get the best.

    Sanni said the radio station has been a fitting complement to actualising the tripodal mandate of the University in terms of Research, Teaching and Extension services to the community around us.

    He added that FUNAAB Radio has also recorded giant strides  through channeling efforts at producing content and programming on themes that advance the development of the university community, especially in such a way that quite many developmental programmes, research breakthroughs and positive happenings are very visible within the public domain.

    Sanni, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Felix Kolawole Salako, on the occasion, stated that the station, through capacity building efforts, has responded positively to the pivotal concern of the University Management for students to develop competences and skills for meaningful learning outside their courses of study for local, national and global job challenges and relevance.

    He commended FUNAAB Radio for living up to its vision of aspiring to be the leading broadcast station with excellence and professionalism, providing an interface for knowledge, information and entertainment.

  • FUNAAB hosts Queen Varsity Africa Reality Show

    The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) received high praise from the Queen Varsity Afrika Reality Television Show as a perfect location for the hosting and recording of the programme aimed at empowering young African women.

    Speaking during the flag-off of the show, the project Consultant, Miss Jasmine Ofoegbu thanked the FUNAAB management for approving the request to host the Project.

    Miss Ofoegbu said as soon as she saw the landscape and serene environment of the university and its facilities, she knew immediately that she had found the perfect location.

    She assured the university management that the show would bring goodwill to the Institution as it would be portrayed as an agent of change and a driving force for African female empowerment.

    The consultant praised FUNAAB’s Industrial Park Unit where cassava is processed into odourless fufu, gari, cashew nuts, palm wine, palm oil; the bakery; Zoological Garden, Sports Centre, Guest House, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies (CENT), and the Information and Communication Technology Centre (ICTREC).

    Welcoming Miss Ofoegbu and the contestants, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Kolawole Salako, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof Morenike Dipeolu, said the University prides herself on its culture of empowering women.  She added that FUNAAB’s support was premised on the fact that the reality show was all about female empowerment.

    She urged the Coordinator to make use of FUNAAB’s beautiful environment and facilities to project the University’s image positively, while enjoining the contestants to make decency and modesty their guide in all their actions and dealings.

  • FUNAAB urges Buhari to restore management courses

    The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) yesterday graduated 3,548 students amid fresh calls on the Visitor to the institution, President Muhammadu Buhari, to restore Management sciences courses that were delisted from universities of agriculture three years ago.

    Its Chancellor and Obong of Calabar, His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon, Abasi Otu V and the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Dr. Aboki Zhawa, called for the restoration of the courses.

    The Vice Chancellor, Prof Kolawole Salako, said the university will today confer honorary Doctor of Letters on Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka and distinguished Historian, Prof Toyin Falola, at the convocation ceremony where postgraduate degrees and honorary degrees will be awarded.

    Giving a breakdown of the graduating students, Salako said 113 graduated with First Class honours degrees; 1,327 in the Second Class Upper Division and 1,533 in the Second Class Lower Division.

    The vice chancellor, who hosted the first convocation ceremony when he assumed office on November 1, last year, described the graduates as the best and their degrees well deserved.

    Read als0: FUNAAB sells cheap maize to market women

    Congratulating the graduands, Salako urged them to uphold the university’s core value of academic and moral excellence in their endeavours.

    He added that “these will distinguish you among your peers and make you very good ambassadors of the university”.

    Explaining the rationale behind the honorary degree of Doctors of Letters on Profs Soyinka and Falola, the vice chancellor said: “There is a nexus between Science and Humanities.

    “We are emphasising this as we confer the honorary degree on the men who made their marks in Humanities. Even at this convocation ceremony, Prof Falola, who doubles as our convocation lecture, demonstrated this in the lecture, titled: Food and Us: Poverty, Policies and Politics.”

    On Prof Soyinka, he said: “We feel honoured to project Ake, the Years of Childhood to Ake the Year of Honorary Degree Award.

    “The former, a book, was published in 1981 and 1988 by Wole Soyinka. Here we are with the latter, an event, in 2018.”

     

  • FUNAAB has increased industrial use of cassava, says VC

    The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof Kolawole Salako, has said the university’s research and extension services have contributed to agricultural development, especially in various uses of cassava.

    Salako, who spoke on Tuesday when he visited the corporate headquarters of The Nation in Lagos, noted that following the university’s research, the demand for industrial uses of cassava for alcohol and others had increased.

    The vice-chancellor was accompanied by FUNAAB’s Director of Public Relations,   Dr Linda Onwuka.

    Salako said: “One area that has been a focal point is our Cassava Adding Value for Africa (C:AVA). It is a Bill and Melinda Gates-sponsored project. But our university has been involved for more than 10 years. With that project alone we have made quite impact – in terms of distribution of improved variety of cassava stems; in terms of improving the industrial use of cassava.

    “Now, we have industries that have been encouraged due to that project going into industrial use of cassava, high quality of cassava flour and the use of cassava in the production of alcohol.

    “Quite a number of industries are right there in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State and in Ogun State too – Sango Otta axis – that are raising cassava as an industrial crop. What that means for us is to produce more because cassava must not get out of the dining table.”

    The vice chancellor said while cassava is becoming a cash crop, it should also remain a food crop.

    Salako also said the university had recorded a breakthrough in the FUNAAB Alpha poultry breed, an improved breed of the local chicken.

    Next month, the vice-chancellor said, the university will honour Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, during its convocation, for his intellectual contribution to the country.

    He said: “One area that I think we should focus on is intellectual contribution. That is why we are hoping to present a honorary award to Prof Wole Soyinka, to showcase his intellectual contribution, and particularly from Egba land.  Soyinka has got all the degrees from anywhere you can think of in the world, but he has not got any one from Abeokuta. He has gladly accepted. Prof Toyin Falola, a historian of repute, is going to be our convocation lecturer and honorary awardee.

    “The idea, as I said, is that we are not just awarding the honorary degree to just anybody but we give credit to whom credit is due.”

    Salako said Falola will address the farmer-herder crisis in his lecture, which he hopes will also shed light on the sociological aspects of the crisis and proffer solutions to it.

    “Our convocation lecture is going to be about finding solution to the crisis. He is a historian; that is why we are not bringing in a scientist. We want people who can find synergy between humanity and science because this is not just about science. It is about human beings; it is about relationship, culture. That is why we are bringing in a historian who is also inclined to economic development. He will look at how people can co-habit. Why is it happening now, and not in the past? There are many social issues involved,” he said.

    Salako stressed that the nation needs innovative agricultural research and extension to engender increased productivity among smallholders to increase supply of agricultural produce.

    He stressed the need for a deliberate breeding of agricultural and farming practices among smallholder farmers through innovative research and extension activities to facilitate increases in agricultural production.

    The FUNAAB vice chancellor also praised The Nation for its balanced reporting, divergent columnists and contribution to intellectual growth.

     

  • FUNAAB VC lauds post-UTME screening

    The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof Kolawole Salako, has praised members of staff for the successful conduct of the institution’s Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) screening.

    Salako, who monitored the screening in all dedicated venues with principal officers of the university, said it was orderly and smooth.

    He thanked God and members of staff, who co-ordinated the screening for their unflinching commitment and dedication.

    He expressed joy at seeing senior professors, including Chryss Onwuka, Toyin Arowolo, Christian Ikeobi, Johnson Ariyo and Mrs Oluyemisi Eromosele serving as chief invigilators or assisting towards the success of the exercise.

    Salako said he was particularly happy about the collaboration between academic and non-teaching staff, who worked together to make the screening a success.

    “We must give credit to all our members of staff, who are involved in this exercise.  Just this morning, my first port of call was FUNAABOT base in Camp to thank the drivers for their dedication.  I have seen a lot of commitment, everything has been orderly and this is because the staff are dedicated and doing their work very well,” he said.

    If you look at the set of people who are in charge of this exercise, they include academic and non-teaching staff and that synergy is very great.

    “What this connotes for future conduct of Post-UTME exercise is that if we continue with this kind of commitment we are receiving from our staff, I think FUNAAB will be better in terms of admission and management of our academic affairs and other responsibilities at large,” he said.

  • FUNAAB Chemistry dept hosts German

    The Chemistry Department of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) is eyeing possible research collaboration with European Universities in Germany and Spain, through Prof David Diaz who visited the department recently.

    Diaz, of the Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Germany, delivered a lecture titled, “Gels as Confined Microenvironments to Perform Air-Sensitive Photoredox Catalysis under Aerobic Condition” to students and staff of the Department during his visit.

    He outlined possible research collaboration/opportunities between his university and FUNAAB students and researchers.

    He also thanked Prof Enoch Dare who facilitated his visit, describing him as a dedicated researcher.

    Diaz’ visit included a tour of the department led by its Acting Head, Dr Aliu Lasisi.

  • How FUNAAB developed exotic chicken breed

    The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) recorded a breakthrough in poultry research last week with the registration of a new local poultry breed. However for the breed, which took over two decades to develop, to meet local demand, researchers say the government has to do much more. KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE reports.

    Last week’s registration of an exotic local chicken breed by the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) caused a lot of excitement in the academic, agricultural, and research circles.

    It was the first registration of an indigenous animal breed done by the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB) in 18 years.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Kolawole Salako, said the implication is that Nigeria now has a breed that can compete with foreign imports in meat and egg production.

    As a local breed, the FUNAAB Alpha has the advantage of high tolerance to the Nigerian environment while also gaining the desired weight (about twice as big as other native breeds) that has made foreign variants preferable.  It is also praised for its low fat content, high egg production (200-250 55g brown eggs per annum), tough meat and taste.

    The FUNAAB Alpha breed was studied alongside five other tropically adapted chicken breeds that were also improved namely ShikaBrown, Kuroiler, Fulani Sasso, and Noiler in five agro-ecological zones of Nigeria.

    The research was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates’ Foundation, under the PEARL Poultry Breeding Centre for Indigenous Chicken Development for Rural Households in Nigeria, between 2014 and 2016; and the International Livestock Research Institute, Ethiopia which supported the On-Station and On-Farm Testing of the breed along with other indigenous and tropically-adapted indigenous chicken types between 2015 and 2017.

    At the end of the research, it was noted that farmers preferred the FUNAAB-Alpha and ShikaBrown for their egg production, while the Sasso and Kuroiler were preferred for their meat.

    But getting the breed out did not come easy.  Lead researcher on the project Prof Olufunmilayo Adebambo said it took 24 years of almost hourly monitoring.

    Prof Adebambo, who led the team of 10 researchers on the project, said patience and commitment played huge roles in the success story.

    She said: “Patience is key in breeding. Then you have to be committed. And then you must set a goal and follow the goal to the end. My students here know.  I tell them the more you get in the better you get. If you are not ready to sleep on the farm don’t come to animal breeding just do something else.”

    She added that the journey to a good breed took her all over Nigeria as well as India.

    “For the genetic component like I said from 1994 to 2001 we were working on genetic improvements selecting within themselves. We collected round Nigeria; over a thousand do you know how many survived at the end of the day? Twenty-seven! And when we put them in the cage to remove that broodiness, only 17 were not broody so we started from there to multiply.

    “By 2001 when I went to India we visited so many universities to know what they are really doing and visited some farmers as well. They gave me 60 eggs and when I got to Nigeria, I tried to hatch the chicken and we had 50 per cent hatch ability, and that was how we started the crossing. We didn’t inject anything into the animals. In breeding we have systems like cross-breeding, criss-crossing, back-crossing, and at the end of the day we made sure that any of our parent stock line will have 62.5 per cent of local blood the other may be exotic,” she said.

    Salako was one very happy man while receiving the certificate of registration with number: NGGGD-18-02 from the NACGRAB Chief Executive Officer, Dr Sunday Aladele.

    He praised the hard work of the team, particularly Prof Adebambo, who said she was challenged to come up with the breed by the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof Olorunimbe Adedipe, in 1994.

    “I want to thank Prof Adebambo for the effort she has put. We heard about her ruggedness; she mentioned 1982 and I remember I was in 400-Level in NSUKKA. And we can imagine somebody working persistently up till now and that is what it takes to be a researcher.  And the work is not yet completed so I think we need to take home that our people can really do it,” he said in an interview.

    Salako said the university would continue to support excellent research efforts.

    “Here in FUNAAB, we have what it takes to register our name internationally.  When I came on board, I said we need to attract research grants.  Let me assure you that I will continue to support efforts like this”.

    Salako said the institution’s investment in research was bearing fruit.  “In FUNAAB, we take our scientific research very seriously and are making history in other research endeavours, including cassava production and processing and food security in general,” he said.

    To Aladele, the registration of FUNAAB Alpha was a relief as he said NACGRAB was worried about the 18-year drought without a breakthrough in animal breeding.

    “FUNAAB Alpha is a real breakthrough,” said Aladele, adding: “because the last time we registered was in 2000 and since then our committee has been worried.  But for the first time we are having improved chicken breed with local background and this is coming from the stable of FUNAAB”.

    Aladele also noted that the testing of the breed was rigorously done in various parts of Nigeria before the certificate was awarded.

    “The newly realised FUNAAB Alpha chicken is of dual purpose; but what I want us to know is that we did not just test them all in those centres.  The committee had to visit all those places and personally interacted with farmers so whatever she is saying is not fake.  We do not depend on papers; because anything that is registered must have impact on the livelihood of farmers; that is our responsibility. So, we went to Port Harcourt, Owerri, Sokoto, Kwara State and it was the same story.  They said ‘this alpha breed is very good.’ We monitored the performance of this chicken breed during the on-farm trial and the general remark from the farmer was that they were ready for adoption,” he said.

    Also speaking about the feat, Prof Akin Adesehinwa of the Nigerian Institution of Animal Science (NIAS), praised FUNAAB for supporting Prof Adebambo and being at the forefront of agricultural research in among Nigerian tertiary institutions.

    “The Nigerian Institute of Animal Science – that is – the regulatory body of practicing animal science in Nigeria to which she belongs – in every way she has done us proud. That is just to say the least.

    “When we talk of university of agriculture in Nigeria I think there is one university that we mention – that is FUNAAB then other universities can follow. The University of Agriculture is not supposed to be under the NUC. When we talk of AMREC (Agriculture and Media Resources Centre), which other university in Nigeria has AMREC?  That is you generate technology and you disseminate it. That is a scientist will speak his language and an extension man will step it down to a language that an Alaroye can translate to the public.

    “So what we have as research institute there and then NARS shiujd be looking for fund because it has national mandate for extension. To now step it down to the level of ordinary people the end users. Everything is complete in FUNAAB. Thank you for giving Prof Adebambo the enabling environment to thrive,” he said.

    Dr Tayo Mokuolu of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, said to take the FUNAAB Alpha project further, the university must publicise the effort.

    “I think it is high time we don’t isolate ourselves. We should put an effort in bringing all of us together and I think I want to advise that we should make a formal proposal; we should make a formal demand to the Federal Ministry and I will do my possible best to convey this message to the government and honorable minister i am here representing,” he said.

    Prof Adebambo, who retires in December, has an idea of how to multiply the FUNAAB Alpha – and it involves more funding on the part of government.

    She advocates for an expansion of the breeder layers in phases such that it would grow from 8,000 to 20,000.

    She is seeking funding for feeding and maintenance of the birds to maturity; generators to ensure uninterrupted power supply; upgrade of the incubators to solar/gas ones; and provision of distribution vans and other supplies.

    Prof Adebambo also seeks funds to employ more workers and pay; training and research.

    To speed up rate of local technology transfer, recommends the “establishment of an indigenous poultry breeding centre for the south/Nigeria.  She said the centre should be manned by all specialists in poultry research and development, including: breeders and geneticists, nutritionists and product developers, behavioural scientists, biometricians, biotechnologists, economists and marketers, and veterinarians.

    Other breeders on the team with Prof Adebambo were: Dr Sunday Peters, Dr Ayotunde Adebambo, Dr Matthew Adeleke, Dr Mathew  Wheto, and Dr Olugbenga Kehinde ( Visiting Veterinarian), as well as three scientists-in-training – Mr Layiwola Ogunpayimo; Mr Henry  Ojoawo; and Miss Damilola  Oshinbowale.