President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged 3,567 fresh graduands of Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) for the 2023/2024 academic session to embrace innovation, integrity and commitment to enable them successfully transform ever challenges Nigeria's agricultural sector and ensure food security in the country
President who was speaking on Saturday as visitor to the university during its 32nd Convocation ceremony on the Alabata main campus of the institution in the Ogun State capital, stressed the need for the graduands to be Innovative by thinking outside the box through application of cutting edge technology to tackle challenges in the sector
Tinubu who was represented by Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale described innovation as key to unlock potentials and ensure sustainable future in agriculture business
"Venture into new areas and use power of technology to transform agriculture, Nigeria needs fresh perspective and entrepreneurial skills to develop home-grown solutions to challenges in agriculture sector", he stated
President also urged the graduands to uphold integrity in all dealings by being transparent and honest , saying their actions must be guided by transparency and accountability for them to be socially responsible and respected in a society characterized by high level of corruption and lack of trust
Thirdly, Tinubu emphasized the need for the graduands to be committed to actualization of their respective goals In the agriculture sector, irrespective of the challenges, maintaining that they can turn the seemingly impossibility to possibility with the power of consistency and resilient
The President who lauded the governing council, senate and management of the university for the remarkable achievement of being ranked as the best university of agriculture in Africa and seventh globally, urged the institution to renew its commitment to sustain and even surpass the academic feat
He pledged the Federal Government's commitment to FUNAAB and other federal institution to sustain conducive teaching and learning environment
Similarly Governor Dapo Abiodun who described FUNAAB as one of the most peaceful tertiary institutions in Ogun State, pledged continuous support of his administration to sustainance of academic excellence in the university
Governor Abiodun who was represented by Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu representing Ogun Central District, suggested the need for heads of tertiary institutions in Ogun to create a forum, where there will be cross fertilization of ideas for them to tape into various opportunities
He emphasised the need for synergy between the gown and town, a meeting with with captains of industries, so as to sustain the enviable status of the State as education and industrial capital of Nigeria
Abiodun called for compulsory inclusion of entrepreneurship training in all the undergraduate academic programmes in FUNAAB, for the students to begin to see agriculture as a serious business beyond mere academic qualifications, to enable them create jobs and not job seekers
Earlier in his convocation lecture, the Executive Secretary of National Agricultural Development Fund, Mr. Mohammed Abu Ibrahim urged the graduands to be bold and resilient, by making use of the knowledge acquired during their respective undergraduate programmes in the university to tap into huge business potentials in the agricultural sector , in order to create a bright future
He urged the graduands to start sowing the seeds of hope capable of transforming the local industries and reshaping the country for greatness
Similarly, Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Olusola Kehinde reminded the graduands of the need to sustain the university's values of integrity, intellectual and commitment to lifelong learning
"The world awaits your innovative ideas, your compassionate spirit and your unwavering determination to make a positive impact"
"Be the pioneers who develop drought-resistant crops , efficient irrigation systems and sustainable farming practices. Remember, the most ground breaking discoveries often arise from questioning the conventional and venturing into uncharted territory", the Vice-Chancellor charged
He recalled some of his achievements in the institution to include accredidation of eight new academic programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and re-accreditation of seven existing academic programmes including Zoology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Hospitality and Tourism, Home Science and Management, Economics and Entrepreneurship studies
He listed the newly accredited academic programmes in the different departments for the current 2024/2025 academic session to include Library and Information Science, Cyber Security and Data Science, Department of Software and Information Systems, Department of information Communication Technology and Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, saying the university now runs a total of thirty-eight (38) academic programmes and 54 Departments
According to him, the timely release of funds by the Federal Government has played a pivotal role in shaping the University's trajectory of development
Also Chancellor of the university, Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Government Council, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi praised the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor for the various academic achievements recorded so far while appreciating the effort of Sen.Shuaib Afolabi Salisu for the palliative done on the access road to the university campus
A total of 120 out of the 3,567 graduands bagged First Class Bachelor Degrees, 1,626 in Second Class Upper Division, 1,624 (Second Class Lower Dividend)while 164 had Third Class Degrees and the remaining 33 graduands earned the Veterinary Medicine Degree which is not classified
Also the School of Post Graduate produced 136 Doctor of Philosophy Degrees PhD across departments, 274 Master's Degrees graduands while the remaining 30 bagged Post Graduate Diploma certificates
Prizes and awards were given to outstanding graduands in different colleges including Senibi Solomon Olaoluwa from the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics who emerged as Best All-Round Graduating Student with CGPA 4.92 for the 2024 set
Dignitaries at the historic include the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Olowu of Owu-Abeokuta kingdom, Oba (Prof.) Saka Adelola Matemilola, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isiaq Kunle Salako whose wife was among the PhD graduands and others
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