The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FUNAAB

  • Row over FUNAAB’s ‘trapped’ $2m grant in TSA

    Row over FUNAAB’s ‘trapped’ $2m grant in TSA

    The government may croak about the Treasury Single Account (TSA) but not so tertiary institutions, which are complaining about its implementation. The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) says it has been unable to access its $2million research grant from the TSA since last year.  But, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation states that the fund is available, report KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE and ERNEST NWOKOLO (Abeokuta).

    There is no love lost between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government over the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

    The policy was conceived in the twilight of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, but its implementation began under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    The TSA seems to be causing problems for tertiary institutions. The policy stipulates that all the money they get must be centrally collected and withdrawals approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Under the TSA regime, institutions no longer have direct access to their funds, including research grants from international donor agencies.

    At a press briefing in Lagos last month, ASUU President Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, complained that the TSA was retarding the progress of universities and promised to fight the government on the matter.

    “As we have consistently argued, the implementation of the TSA is inimical to the well-being of universities. The policy has made it impossible for universities to draw research grants, run programmes based on endowment and transfer funds earmarked for staff development in universities locally and overseas.

    “All our appeals to government to exempt universities from the TSA regime have fallen  on deaf ears. Because of our abiding commitment to defending and protecting the university system, ASUU will go to any length to resist the continued implementation of TSA in our universities,” he said.

    Vice-Chancellor (VC), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) Prof Olusola Oyewole, is among administrators lamenting that TSA is impeding research in universities as institutions cannot access their research grants.

    Oyewole said FUNAAB has over $2 million grants for the Cassava Adding Value for Africa (C:AVA) project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation trapped in the TSA for almost one year.

    “You can imagine the shock that our universities have, waking up one day to find out that our funds have been moved away from the commercial banks to an account that we can’t even identify,” he said.

    He said through FUNAAB, the grant was meant to be disbursed to five African countries.  However, since it was moved into the TSA, the institution has been unable to fulfil its coordinator role.  The VC feared that the grant risked being moved from Nigeria to the United Kingdom.

    FUNAAB’s Director of Grants Management Prof Kolawole Adebayo said the first phase of the C:AVA project, worth about $13 million, was led by the University of Greenwich from 2008 to 2014.

    FUNAAB was to lead the second phase of the multi-million dollars multinational CAVA II Project, which started in 2014 and is to end in 2019.

    Adebayo said apart from FUNAAB and the University of Greenwich, other institutions collaborating on the research are: Food Research Institute, Accra, Ghana; Food and Nutrition Centre, Dares  Salaam, Tanzania; Africa Innovation Institute, Kampala, Uganda; Chancellor College, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi; and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.

    The Nation gathered that there are about 78 other institutional partners in government, private and non-governmental sectors in all named countries.

    The second phase was planned to cost about $18.8 million.  Adebayo said the first two tranches of over $3.5 million each were released in 2014 and 2015 to FUNAAB.

    However, he said the third tranche of over $3 million was released in June to the University of Greenwich because FUNAAB could not provide funds to all project partners since about $2 million was moved to the TSA last October.

    He explained that while the first phase of the project promoted the value chains for High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) to the benefit of over 90,000 smallholder farmers and community processors in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Malawi, the second phase was conceived to facilitate systems where smallholder – farmers in the five countries can sell over two million tons of fresh cassava roots (for conversion) into HQCF, starch, ethanol, livestock feed and others.

    Adebayo lamented that the progress already recorded is not only threatened by the movement of C:AVA funds into the TSA by the Government, but the project itself has also been relocated to the University of Greenwich pending when the missing funds is found and retrieved.

    “After struggling in vain for more than five months, without having access to funds, we took the very difficult and humbling decision to advice our funders of alternative courses to ensure that the project continues to thrive.

    “As of now, the C:AVA Project has been relocated back to the University of Greenwich pending such times that FUNAAB will be able to access and use the funds trapped in the TSA,” he said.

    Adebayo said efforts were made to access the money when it was moved to TSA by contacting the office of the Accountant General of the Federation but without respite.

    Adebayo said: “When the fund was moved late last year, we reached out to our banker (Zenith Bank) who advised us that the fund had been moved to the Central Bank of Nigeria as per TSA directive.  We immediately contacted the CBN and were advised to direct our enquiries to the Accountant General of the Federation. This we did promptly.

    “For over four months, we kept reaching out to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation until we were told that the CBN had been directed to open new accounts for the project at Standard Chartered Bank of London.

    “Between June when we got this information and now (August) we have not had answers to our enquiry on when the funds taken to the TSA will be deposited in this new account and how we would access it for the project.”

    Adebayo feared that the incident has dented the university’s image and may affect its ability to pursue foreign grants in future.

    ‘FUNAAB’s reputation that was carefully built over more than 25 years has been trampled upon by the implementation of the TSA. Not many universities in Africa have reached the peak that FUNAAB got to before TSA.

    “I can tell you that last year, FUNAAB had a portfolio of over 40 research grants.  In 2016, we have not won any. This is partly because our academics lost a major incentive.

    “How can you bid to win international grants in this hostile environment and then have the government confiscate the fund without cause? If the environment does not provide confidence that funds will be used for the intended purpose, funders can find other means of channeling their funds.

    “Huge damage has been done already. It will take time to remedy. First, we need to access the funds that have been confiscated. Then, we need to tell the whole world that our universities have autonomy that cannot be wantonly trampled by government.”

    The Nation made enquiries about FUNAAB’s missing C:AVA fund at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) domiciled under the Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja.

    A statement signed by Mr Ifeanyi Okereke for the Deputy Director Press, OAGF, explained that the office was making efforts to ease access to funds through the TSA.

    In response to question about the need to move the money to a foreign account outside Nigeria, Okeke explained that the money is kept by the foreign bank for the institution and is accessible.

    The statement reads: “In line with the operational guidelines of the implementation of the TSA as approved by the Government, the CBN shall open a domiciliary account in favour of an MDA upon receipt of mandate from OAGF. CBN decide the bank in which to open the account based on agreed criteria and list of foreign correspondence banks.  Such Funds that are domiciliary in nature are only kept by the foreign banks on behalf of the concerned MDAs. The process for opening foreign bank accounts may take up to four weeks in line with the terms and conditions of the foreign bank including and the banks Know-Your-Customer (KYC) requirements.

    “Pending automation of the foreign currency component of TSA, all MDAs with such foreign domiciliary Accounts are allowed to operate their accounts through duly approved mandate(s) signed by authorized signatories of the MDAs.The MDAs shall access their own domiciliary account in foreign banks through the CBN. The domiciliary account of the MDA shall be debited for such payments and the MDAs will receive value for such payments within 48 hours. Where there is any issue with the mandate or transactions, the MDA shall be duly informed by CBN within 48 hours.”

    To get the mandate, Okereke explained that the institution must provide the following documentations and management approvals: “Complete mandate signed by the authorized signatories; Payment Invoice; Purpose of payment; Amount in foreign currency; Duly completed (Form A, where the CBN is selling Foreign Exchange to the MDAs); Contract Agreement or Extract from FEC where applicable; Due Process Compliance (where applicable); Advance Payment counterpart; NOTAP- where applicable; Management approval; and Beneficiary bank details including IBA code, bank name, account number, Swift code – to be provided by CBN.”

    Okereke said the procedure was transparent and should not undermine the integrity of institutions involved.

    Asked if the procedure is not bureaucratic, Okereke explained that it was instituted to ensure transparency.

    “The system in place is not bureaucratic or cumbersome. The essence of the new policy is to streamline the processes, make it more transparent and accountable. This new system has helped to check the incidences of double or multiple appropriations. Under this, MDAs receives funding from both the appropriation and donor countries for the same subhead. MDAs are accountable for the Funds received to both the Government and the donor Country or Organisation,” he said.

    He however added that efforts are being made to automate the process so institutions can access their domiciliary accounts electronically.

    “The OAGF and CBN are in the process of automating the payment and receipt processes of foreign components of TSA. The new process shall empower each MDA to be able to access its domiciliary account through electronic channels as is currently done for all local payments. The new process shall be communicated to all MDAs as soon as it is finalized and the systems have been put in place,” he said.

    The statement also noted that the OAGF had completed the processing of the FUNAAB C:AVA fund and that the university could access the funds through laid down procedure.

    “It should be noted that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation had since processed the Federal University of Abeokuta’s grant from Bill and Melinda Gates Funded Cassava Adding Value project (C:AVA). The institution should accordingly follow the approved process to access the funds,” the statement noted.

    When contacted on Tuesday, Prof Adebayo said the university has not been informed how to access the fund.

    “As at today, Tuesday, September 06, 2016 I have not been able to access the C:AVA II funds. It would help a lot if the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation can outline the ‘approved process’ to access the funds,” he said.

  • One killed, five injured as FUNAAB students protest

    A HUNDRED-Level Forestry and Wildlife student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, Abisoye Taiwo, was allegedly shot dead yesterday, following a violent students’ protest.

    Five other persons, two students and three policemen, were injured when a detachment of policemen drafted to disperse the protesters clashed with the students. The students took to the streets in protest of the spate of robbery attacks around the school, which allegedly led to the death of a 100-Level Banking and Finance student.

    Witness told The Nation that gunshots sounded for more than five hours as the police clashed with the protesting students. The protesters were dispersed on Alabata Road and Abeokuta-Ibadan Expressway.

    A police post in Osiele and nine vehicles were burnt during the fracas. Property worth millions were also damaged.

    Divine Height Church said to be founded by the FUNAAB Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof. Olusola Oyewole, was not spared. The church is located a few metres away from the Ogun State Command Headquarters. The church window panes, doors and furniture were smashed. Vehicles parked by worshippers and visitors in the premises were also destroyed.

    There was traffic gridlock on Abeokuta-Ibadan Expressway, as motorists left their vehicles on the highway and fled the scene. Some vehicles had their windscreens smashed by the rioters.

    The protest started at 6:30am at the school gate. It was learnt that the plea by Students’ Union Government (SUG) leader, Olusegun Dennis, the Acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi and the Divisional Police Officer of Odeda Police Division to dissuade the students from embarking on protest fell on deaf ears.

    The Nation gathered that the protest was peaceful at the beginning, but turned violent when the police allegedly fired teargas canisters into the crowd of students.

    It was learnt that the students vowed not to leave the highways until their grievances were addressed. The protesters allegedly pelted the riot policemen with stones and other objects. This, eyewitness said, led to retaliation by the police.

    The PPRO, Oyeyemi, said no student died but added that some policemen were injured while trying to quell the violence.

    Oyeyemi said the protest may have been hijacked by hoodlums, who used the opportunity to vandalise property.

    In apparent reaction to the violent protest, FUNAAB said it has declared a seven-day mid – semester break.

    Speaking through the Head, Directorate of Public Relations (DPR), FUNAAB, Emi’ Alawode (Mrs.), it said this is to enable the university to put additional welfare and security arrangements in place.

  • FUNAAB students hold summit

    A 300-level student in the Department of Business Administration, College of Management Sciences (COLMAS), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta(FUNAAB),Miss Oluwatobi Adesina and her colleagues have held a business excellence summit, titled: Start-Up: A key to sustainable impact.

    The organisers include: Festus Akinfenwa, Eno Dan,Folasade Olabisi and Funmi Olaoye; all from COLMAS.

    Others were: Michael Ojediran and Babatunde Asiwaju, College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM); Shemuel Olawoyin, College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT); Idris Sanni, College of Veterinary Medicine (COLVET); Francis Iyere, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM);Oluwalaanumi Ayorinde, College of Food Science and Human Ecology (COLFHEC); Tolulope Ogundare, College of Engineering (COLENG); and Roliat Elemere of College of Biological Sciences (COLBIOS).

    Delivering a keynote speech titled, “The entrepreneur in you”,  targeted at the development of youths’ entrepreneurial skills in tertiary institutions, the Director, Consultancy Services, Lead City University (LCU), Ibadan, Prof Olajumoke Familoni, admonished the participants to love what they do best and carry out research in such fields with passion.

    She noted that the seminar’s aim was to lighten-up dormant business ideas and encourage entrepreneurship mindset among the youth.

    Chairman of the occasion and the Director, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies (CENTS) of FUNAAB, Prof Adewale Dipeolu, urged the participants to watch out for opportunities on entrepreneurship, which abound, adding that they should look for such as there are no boundaries to it.

    The don, who specialises in production economics, marketing and consumer economics, advised the students to look inward, think hard and look up to God.

    The students’ Staff Adviser, Dr. Elizabeth Oluwalana in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management (AE&FM), College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD), urged the participants to venture into agribusiness, saying that opportunities exist in the area, especially during this economic recession.

    She charged the participants to be innovative by adding value to agricultural produce, noting that this would reduce wastes during glut, create wealth and reduce poverty.

    Highpoint of the event, attended by over 300 participants from within and outside of the insitution, was the presentation of awards of excellence to the keynote speaker, facilitators as well as the donation of over 50 copies of a book titled, “Key Traits of a Successful Leader/Entrepreneur and Entrepreneurial Workbook”, written by Familoni, to participants.

    There was also an exhibition and the display of value-added herbal products and fabric bags with their accessories.

    At the event were: Dr. Bolatito Ikenweiwe of the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, COLERM; Mr. Tomisin Oyewole, Department of Economics, COLMAS; Chief Executive Officer, Ebenezer Animal Affairs, Lagos, Mr. Adewale Adesina; CEO, Denaro Properties Limited, Lagos, Mr. Babajide Ogunleye; Marketing Insight Manager, MTN Nigeria Mr. Adewale Salami; Mr. Femi Akinbola of Fastcash, Lagos and Mr. Adesola Adepegba.

  • FUNAAB starts pre-admission screening

    Regular activities have fully picked up at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), with the announcement of the Pre-Admission Screening Exercise for prospective students for the 2016/2017 academic session.

    A statement by the university stated that candidates are expected to register online (http://admission.unaab.edu.ng) ahead of the screening scheduled to hold July 25-27.

    The statement also noted that the issues that caused a strike by some of the unions in the institution are being resolved with the management of the institution paying productivity bonus to workers as well as advertising vacant positions.

  • FUNAAB don discovers paint from plant

    A Professor in the Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof Ighodalo Eromosele, has produced paint from the seed oil of Ximenia americana plant, commonly known as Wild Olive.

    Eromosele, a Polymer Chemist, said the oil paint which was produced has qualities comparable to those of the imported ones. Thus, Linseed oil, which is being imported for paint production can be substituted with Ximenia oil.

    He said: “Ximenia plant grows wild in the North. The exploratory research on the oil for the purpose of establishing its potential for paint production attracted the attention and funding of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Abuja. But beyond that, we have produced paint based on the oil in a systematic study by a Masters Degree student under my supervision, thus demonstrating the potential utilisation of the oil in this regard. In my humble opinion, this is Research for Development, one of direct industrial relevance.”

    Eromosele, however, underscored the need to cultivate the plant if it would meet its potential.

    “It is a wild plant; it is not cultivated. So, there remains another area that we have to look at. That is, how to grow the plant particularly, here in the southern end of the country or where it is best suited to grow so that we can have a whole lot of vegetation to harvest the seed and then of course, the oil,” he said.

    The don said he had not patented the oil becaue there was still a lot to be done by way of domestication of the plant, so that mass production becomes feasible.

     

  • FUNAAB don wins UNESCO Fellowship

    FUNAAB don wins UNESCO Fellowship

    A lecturer in the College of Veterinary Medicine (COLVET), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Dr Olubukola Adenubi has been conferred with the 2015 L’Oréal-United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for Women in Science Doctoral Fellowship.

    She is one of the nine recipients of the prestigious fellowship.

    She was shortlisted among female scientists from 19 African countries who have made their marks in the sciences.

    Dr. Adenubi, who is also a Schlumberger Faculty for the Future Fellow, is pursuing her Ph.D at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

    Her research focuses on Tick Repellent and Acaricide, as well as other potential biological activities of 17 plant species.

    Sandeep Rai, Managing Director of L’Oréal South Africa, said the fellowship aims to encourage women to specialise in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

    “For the last 17 years, we have been fighting to advance the cause of women scientists worldwide. Much has been achieved: more than 2,000 women have been recognised worldwide.  The programme has gained recognition from the international scientific community, a springboard to enable women to go further and rise to greater heights. We are really proud of all the women who continue to make a difference in Africa through our programme,” he said.

     

  • Student’s death sparks protest at FUNAAB

    Student’s death sparks protest at FUNAAB

    Did Maria Atere have a premonition of her death? The 400-Level Plant Physiology and Crop Production student of the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State died in a road crash,  few hours after she said she wanted to see Jesus Christ. But, to her colleagues, the institution’s failure to come to her aid immediately after the accident led to her death. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.

    I want to see Jesus Christ.” This was said to be the late Maria Atere’s last words while discussing with her pastor and colleagues after service penultimate Sunday. She died in a road crash hours later.
    Maria, a 400-Level Plant Physiology and Crop Production student of the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (FUNAAB) Ogun State, died from injuries sustained in the accident on Camp-Alabata Road, a busy motorway that stretches to the institution’s main gate.
    She was returning to her off-campus hostel at 7pm when the commercial motorcycle conveying her had a head-on collision with a cab. The motorcyclist died on the spot.
    She was identified as a student on the scene of the accident by sympathisers, who called the Students’ Union Government (SUG) president, Dennis Nwenonye, to notify the school management. Told the severity of Maria’s injury, it was gathered that Dennis called other SUG leaders living off-campus to get her, while he rushed to the school Health Centre for an ambulance and doctor’s referral to take her to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abeokuta.
    The doctor on duty, it was learnt, refused to issue the referral, asking that Maria be brought to the clinic before he can refer her to the FMC. Dennis then spoke with the Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), who ordered the release of the ambulance to take Maria to the FMC.
    Before the ambulance arrived, some students had taken Maria in the SUG bus to a private hospital where she was referred her to the FMC. But, a few minutes after her admission, she died.
    Her death led to a protest by students, who accused the school management of negligence. The protesters, led by SUG leaders, demanded the sack of the Director of the Health Centre, saying the late Maria could have been saved had the medical staff responded to the situation in time.
    The protesters demanded N50 million compensation for the bereaved family. They called for the dualisation of the Camp-Alabata Road, which they described as a death trap. They barricaded the school gate and marched on the Administrative Block to draw the management’s attention to their grievance.
    Although the school is on holiday, lecturers and non-teaching staff, who had other activities on the campus, were prevented from entering.
    Reacting, the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Olusola Oyewole, set up an investigative panel chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics, Prof Muftau Waheed, to probe the alleged negligence by the Health Centre staff.
    The panel was given a week for the job. Its Secretary, Mr Bright Obiriwonsi, led the school delegation on a condolence visit to the late Maria’s parents.
    It was gloomy at the 16 Alfa-Nda Street, Ilasamaja, Lagos home of bereaved parents. When CAMPUSLIFE visited the house last Friday, sympathisers were streaming to console them.
    Her father, Mr Emmanuel Atere, a pastor, betrayed emotion as he recalled how he learnt about his daughter’s death. As he spoke with our reporter, his wife, Felicia, also a pastor, wept uncontrolly. She gazed at the ceiling, deep in thought.
    “I call this tragic incident a trial of faith,” Pastor Atere said, wondering why his daughter suffered “that cruel fate”, despite being a born-again Christian.
    He described the late Maria as a child of God, who did not bear grudge against anyone. “She loved God and her siblings. She was always cheerful and free with anyone,” he said.
    Reliving how he received the news, Atere said “untimely death” was the least he expected in his household as he prepared to sleep that fateful day. He said he had just finished his night prayer when he got a telephone call from Victoria, his first daughter, at 9:45pm.
    “Victoria said I should start praying for Maria. I asked what happened to her; she told me her sister was in a coma. I became restless immediately. I could not call my wife, because I did not know if she had been told Maria was in a coma. I later got to know she was told that Maria was sick. We started praying immediately. We held a vigil all through the night; I did not sleep.
    “At 4am on Monday, a senior Redeemed Christian Church of God pastor called me and told me to start coming to Lagos. I asked if Maria had woken up from coma, he said she was still being attended to.
    He said I should take the next available flight to Lagos… After a few minutes, the pastor sent money for a flight ticket into my account.
    “My friend took me to the airport at 5am. I was crying as we approached the airport, because I knew something tragic must have happened. But, I continued praying to God to avert calamity in my family. After I landed in Lagos, my son joined me and we departed for Abeokuta immediately.
    “I met other family members with the Catholic Bishop of Abeokuta Diocese and pastor of the church Maria attended. They took me to a mortuary and I was surprised. When I asked what was happening, they said my daughter was in the mortuary. At this point, I broke into tears and lost my memory. I could recall the Bishop led another prayer session at the mortuary to call back Maria’s spirit, but she did not wake up.”
    Atere said the Bishop told him his daughter’s last words were: “I am in severe pain, let me go and rest in the bosom of Christ.” Atere said he is consoled that Maria died knowing Christ.
    On the allegation that Maria died because of the school’s tardiness, Atere said he left everything to God to judge. “It is only God that can wipe away our tears. Whatever the school authorities have to say would be in their own favour. We don’t ask for any compensation; it would have been our joy if she was honoured while she was alive,” he said.

  • FUNAAB hosts yam festival

    By hosting the 2015 Yam Roasting Festival, the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof Olusola Oyewole, said the institution was promoting Town/Gown community relations.

    He said hosting the festival, held at the Directorate of University Farms (DUFARMS) premises, was in line with the institution’s mandate of going beyond training students to community development.

    He also said using DUFARMS as venue was strategic as it would help the university promote its other crops. The VC also thanked a philanthropist, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, for supporting the resuscitation of the festival in 2012.

    Osunkeye, who is also the Chairman, Board of Directors, Nestle Nigeria Plc, said he was passionate about the university and what it stood for. He charged the university to explore the possibility of using drones and diplomacy to check encroachment on its farmlands. In his remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, called for better collaboration between FUNAAB and its host communities and industries.

     

  • FUNAAB mourns Mama Awolowo

    The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has joined individuals, groups and corporate organisations to mourn the demise of Chief Hannah Dideolu Awolowo, the Matriarch of the Awolowo family, at the ripe age of 99.

    In a Condolence Letter addressed to the family of the deceased, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Olusola Oyewole, on behalf of the Governing Council, Management, staff and students of the university, said: “There is no doubt that Mama lived an exemplary life as a great mediator within the political amphitheatre in Nigeria and contributed immensely to its development as a pillar and inestimable jewel to the Late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”

     

  • 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.