Campus News

Faculty of Agric ready for UNILORIN’s 50th anniversary – Dean

By Abubakar Imam

Ahead of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the University of Ilorin, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Oluyemisi Fawole, has expressed the readiness of the Faculty to mark the milestone in a special way, saying that the management, staff and students are looking forward to the events.

Prof. Fawole stated this penultimate Wednesday (May 21, 2024) while speaking with UNILORIN Bulletin in her office.

The Dean explained that the Faculty would stage an agricultural exhibition where produce and products of its various Departments as well as journals of the Faculty would be displayed for all to admire as part of the events marking the anniversary.

Prof. Fawole, who is the 16th Dean of the Faculty, which was established during the 1982/1983 academic session, added that the programme would also be highlighted with financial support to be given to four agripreneurs who were unsuccessful at the British-American Tobacco of Nigeria Foundation awards given to six of their colleagues earlier in the year. This, according to her, is to enable the four Unilorites to also go into various agricultural businesses on the University campus.

She also said that a workshop that would bring the town and gown together on best agricultural practices would be organised to mark the upcoming anniversary.

Prof. Fawole explained that the workshop, which would be dedicated to highlighting the inevitability of “smart agriculture”, would come up a week or two before the main events. She explained that the workshop would enable experts in the Faculty and practising farmers to exchange ideas on modern farming with a view to enhancing agricultural productivity.

               The Dean explained that the Faculty is one of those that have brought remarkable traffic to the University in terms of sponsorships and collaborations with various local and international organisations.

               Prof. Fawole, who teaches at the Department of Agronomy, said that the Faculty has also placed the University in the front burner in innovative agricultural practices, saying that the recent development of Ilomaz 2 and Ilomaz 3, which are maize varieties that are tolerant to multiple stresses, including drought and Striga hermonthica, attracted huge applause from agricultural stakeholders across the world.

               She also said that 22 distinguished Professors from the various Departments of the Faculty have delivered thought-provoking Inaugural Lectures at the University over the years, saying that most of the lectures have made impressive impacts on food security in Nigeria and beyond.

               The Dean, who is the third female scholar that would head the Faculty since its inception, said that alumni of the Faculty across the world are being mobilised to celebrate with the University.

               She explained that the alumni of the Faculty have been most encouraging and impactful as she said that arrangements have almost been concluded by them to buy a tractor and a plough for the Faculty to enhance teaching and learning as well as agricultural production.

               Prof. Fawole, who said that the farm equipment would cost the alumni about ₦33,000,000, said that more than ₦13,000,000 had been generated so far from the contributions of distinguished alumni of the Faculty who have also done so many things for the Faculty over the years.

               Speaking on the magnitude and quality of alumni produced by the Faculty, the Dean explained that it had produced no fewer than 3000 graduates since 1987.

               Prof. Fawole said while some of the alumni are pursuing their livelihood and doing well in agriculture-related enterprises, she noted that a number of them have branched off to other areas of human endeavours where they are also making huge impacts.

               The Dean recalled the outstanding contributions of alumni like Dr Olajumoke Ojo, who now has a Ph. D. in Nursing Science; Dr Adekunle Omotosho, who is the Chief Executive of a Lagos-based Aristech solutions company; and the late Dr Mustapha Ayodele Popoola, who was a former Special Assistant to the current Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari.

               Other outstanding alumni of the Faculty as recalled by the Dean are Dr Olabode Ezekiel Adebiyi, a leading businessman and former Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security in Ekiti State; Hon. Kehinde Boluade, who is a Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Governor and Hon. Ebenezer Olamide Boluwade, an ex-banker, who is currently an Agricultural Assistant to the United States Agency for International Development’s Special Mission in Nigeria.

               Prof. Fawole also said that the Dean of the Faculty of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abuja, Prof. Hakeem Oyerinde; is a proud product of the Faculty. She also mentioned Prof. Ayo Toye, Prof. O. S. Balogun, Prof. A.K. Musa, and Prof. Sola Ojo as well as Dr Usman Dipo Akanbi, who is the current President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), among others, as some of the alumni of the Faculty who are also working at the Faculty as lecturers in various Departments.

               The Dean also said that the Faculty has produced very active members who have held key leadership positions in the nation’s most sought-after University such as Prof. O. O. Balogun, Prof. Luke Ayorinde and Prof. Abayomi Omotesho, who served as Deputy Vice Chancellors at various times.

               Prof. Fawole added that the Faculty also produced about five Vice Chancellors for other sister universities among its staff such as Prof. O. O. Balogun, who served at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Prof. Luke Ayorinde, who served at various times at Kola Daisi University, Ibadan, and Thomas Adewumi University, Oko; as well as Prof. Bashiru Raji, Prof. Popoola and Prof. Olabisi Ramota Karim, who also served as Vice Chancellors of the Fountain University, Osogbo, at various times.

               As a way of creating more impacts, the Dean said that her Faculty is working towards embarking on large scale commercial farming to enhance teaching and learning and assist members of the University community and the general public on food security.

               Prof. Fawole congratulated the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, and other Principal Officers of the University and the generality of the members of the University community on the upcoming celebration. She wished the University more accomplishments worthy of celebrations.