Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA) students got an opportunity to share their challenges with the authorities at a meeting with the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof Femi Odekunle. ABDULSALAM MAHMUD reports.
It was his first visit to the school after his appointment as Pro-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA) in Niger State. Prof Femi Odekunle, a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), would not leave the campus without having a meeting with students.
At the meeting held on the Gidan Kwano Campus of the school, students set agenda for the renowned professor of criminology. They urged him to bring his wealth of experience and administrative acumen to bear on his function as the chairman of the school’s Governing Council.
Students urged the Pro-chancellor to offer ‘elderly’ counsel to the management, expressing the belief that his regular intervention would help address the infrastructure deficit facing the university.
According to the students, sanity can only be achieved in the academic environment when fundamental issues and problems affecting students’ wellbeing are holistically addressed.
The meeting was held at Caverton Lecture Hall, which was filled to capacity by students. To allow students meet with the Pro-chancellor, the management declared a lecture-free day.
Making a contribution, Muhammed Saba, a Transport Management student, told the Pro-chancellor that the issues of poor Internet connectivity on the campus must be resolved if the school must be a foremost ICT centre. He said the poor connectivity had hindered lecturers’ and students’ research activities.
He said: “Massive renovation of dilapidated lecture halls and delivering more lecture auditoriums with fully equipped public address system would bring about good learning atmosphere. It would be a step in the right direction if the management can deliver this.”
Frequent robbery and burglary incidents in the off-campus hostels were also discussed. Olufemi Adeniji, a 200-Level student, said the problem could be solved if the Governing Council supports the management in designing security measures to check the incidents.
“The safety of students living off-campus should be a major concern of the Council,” Olufemi said.
Olufemi bemoaned the deplorable state of school hostels and high cost of transport fare to the school.
He said: “Efforts should be made towards providing comfortable and hygienic accommodation for students in the school. We urge the school to liaise with vendors and commercial transporters’ union to review the transport fare and prices of essential commodities on the campus. The high cost of these services is the reason why many students don’t go for lecturers and miss examinations.”
Another student, Amina Ibrahim Nasidi, who applauded the developmental stride of the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Musbau Akanji, decried the poor academic performance of many students.
She attributed the problem to what she called “chaotic timetables” and lack of cordial relationship between students and their Level Advisers.
Responding, the Prof Odekunle assured the students of the Governing Council’s commitment to making the institution a “prestigious citadel” of academic excellence. He promised all-inclusive management, adding that all contributions made by students would be considered.
He said: “We would ensure FUT MINNA is ranked among the world’s best universities. Thus, we pledge to offer our moral and financial support towards actualising this mission. I urge members of the university management live above board and shun unethical practices. While we strive to create enabling academic environment, students must embrace the virtue of work hard in their studies. I urge you all to eschew negative vices. You are ambassadors of this great institution. So, you all must always exhibit good attitudes, both in private and in public.”
Prof Akanji congratulated the members of the Governing Council, soliciting for their support towards the growth of the school.
The VC hinted that the meeting was held to give students opportunity to meet and share their challenges with the Governing Council.
He said: “I strongly believe that the Council members, led by the astute Prof Odekunle, will partner with the management team in addressing the challenges enumerated by students.”
The Students’ Union Government (SUG) president, Hamza Abdullateef, while giving the vote of thanks, described Prof Odekunle as a celebrated and erudite academic, saying the Pro-chancellor had “brilliantly distinguished” himself in public service.
The union president said: “We strongly believe that our university would soon witness uncommon transformation under the new the chairman of the Governing Council, who have sterling profile in academic and public life.”
Prof Odekunle graduated from the University of Ibadan (UI) in 1968 and subsequently bagged doctoral degree in Sociology and Social Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, United States, in 1974.
The scholar taught at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Kaduna State, from 1970 to early 1990s, where he became a professor of criminology in 1985. He is the author of Fighting corruption and organised crime in Nigeria.
The new Pro-chancellor took over from Prof Rufa’i Ahmed Alkali, who was in the saddle for eight year.
