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Tag: FUTA

  • Over 500 bag first class as FUTA graduates 6,405 students

    Over 500 bag first class as FUTA graduates 6,405 students

    No fewer than 519 graduands bagged First Class Honours as the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) holds its combined 34th and 35th Convocation in the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions.

    The Vice Chancellor of FUTA, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, stated this on Friday in Akure during a news conference heralding the convocation on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30 at the university’s campus.

    Oladiji explained that a total of 6,405 students would graduate from the certified 59 academic programmes run by the institution.

    She added that 3,408 students had Second Class (Upper Division) while 2,139 students had Second Class (Lower Division) while 339 students got Third Class from the two academic sessions.

    The vice chancellor said that the university would also confer postgraduate diploma, Masters and Doctoral degrees on 960 graduands.

    Oladiji noted that two overall graduating best students, Faith Faromika and Aanuoluwapo Vitowanu, were recorded in the 2022/2023 academic session with Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.96 each.

    She stressed that the overall best graduating best student in the 2023/2024 academic session, Joshua Ajakaye, had a CGPA of 4.95.

    Oladiji said that the three overall best students were from the School of Engineering of the university.

    The vice chancellor stated that the university would confer honorary doctoral degrees on Pastor Daniel Olukoya, the Founder of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries; Mr Ayorinde Ogunruku and Mr Joel Ogunsola.

    She added that the three personalities had contributed meaningfully to the standard of education in the university.

    Oladiji said that one of the highlights of the convocation would be the convocation lecture titled: “Technological Innovation: A Panacea to Food Insecurity”.

    The vice chancellr explained that the lecture would be delivered by Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior.

    She enumerated series of achievements and feats recorded by the university’s staff and graduates in the country, and in the international sphere.

    Oladiji said that the institution had been nominated the best University of Technology in Nigeria for three consecutive times.

    According to her, the university will not relent on its oars by churning out self-reliant graduates that will be of immense benefit to the nation.

    “Our students are trained to be self-reliant and they are employable. We have entrepreneurial skills that our students have to undergo.

    “Despite challenges, our collective efforts have paved way for successful milestones recorded as an institution,” she said.

  • Fee hike: FUTA postpones resumption date, orders students to vacate hotels

    Fee hike: FUTA postpones resumption date, orders students to vacate hotels

    The management of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) has ordered the indefinite postponement of resumption of students for the 2023/2024 academic session.

    This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Akure by the institution’s Director of Corporate Communication, Mr Adegbenro Adebanjo.

    Adebanjo said that the management had also directed all students currently on campus and in hostels within the university, to vacate them within 24 hours.

    He said the university’s management directed that registration and payment of fees of all returning students for the academic session via the university portal, scheduled to begin on Monday, be put on hold.

    According to him, the university has not yet opened the portal for returning students for the new session, contrary to what is being bandied in the public domain.

    The institution’s spokesman denied the alleged increment in school fees by the university management, saying that tuition was free.

    “On the proposed new fees and charges, they are mainly for students-related services which are sourced from the economy.

    “And the costs of such goods and services provided by the university for the students will certainly be impacted by costs of goods and services in the economy.

    “To ensure smooth running of the university, certain consumables and payments for municipal services such as electricity, water, hostel maintenance and cleaning and sundry other services are necessary.

    “And the costs of providing the services have shot up and the new charges are in response to this.

    “Other costs that were adjusted as a result of economic reality include medical examination for all new students, biometric identity cards and Tertiary Institutions’ Students Health Insurance Programme, administered by NHIS for students and final year book.

    “The management reiterates that tuition remains free for all students and that it has inbuilt mechanism within the system to look into and build consensus on matters affecting students including charges and fees.

    “And that mechanism is working on this matter and consensus will be achieved,” he said.

    Earlier, students of the institution staged a peaceful protest, alleging that the university’s management had increased the school fees despite economic hardship in the country.

    Addressing the protesting students, the President of FUTA Student Union Government, Mr Oluwasoromidayo Olayemi, pleaded with the management of the school to revert to the old school fees.

    Olayemi said the last increment in tuition fees was not up to one year before the new hike.

    He alleged that the management increased the school fees to over N200,000 for new students, while returning students paying N35,000 would now pay at least N130,000 depending on academic programme.

    He said that the peace protest would continue until the fees were reverted.

  • 300-level student of FUTA allegedly commits suicide

    300-level student of FUTA allegedly commits suicide

    Mr Olona Oluwapelumi, a third-year student of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), has allegedly committed suicide at his off-campus lodge in Akure.

    Joseph, who was in FUTA’s Department of Industrial Design, allegedly took his life by hanging, for reasons suspected to be connected to depression and financial constraint.

    It was gathered that his close friends went to his apartment in the early hours of Saturday and discovered it was locked and had to break the door after many phone calls without any response.

    It was learnt that upon entry, the friends discovered that the body of the student, popularly known as “Black”, was hanging in the room.

    Some of his neighbours, who did not want their names to be mentioned, said that Joseph was a jovial and friendly man, who never entered into arguments or fought with any neighbour.

    One of the neighbours said that it was discovered that the Facebook page of the deceased, who was an entrepreneur and made designer wears with the brand name “Tart Angle”, contained a post about suicide.

    According to him, several of the deceased’s posts also contained messages seeking financial help to enable him to run his business.

    “On October 8, 2022, his Facebook post read, “Suicide kinda answers all, it’s the only thing that listens and trusts you when you left all to yourself. Good night and goodbye,” the neighbour said.

    Meanwhile, FUTA authorities have yet to make an official statement on the student’s death.

    The spokesperson of the police command in Ondo, SP Funmi Odunlami-Omisanya, said that the corpse of the student had been deposited at a mortuary while investigation into the death would soon start.

  • ASUU Strike: FUTA students barricade Akure-Ilesa Highway

    ASUU Strike: FUTA students barricade Akure-Ilesa Highway

    Students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, on Monday barricaded the Akure-Ilesa Highway, protesting the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The action of the students forced many motorists and travellers to be stranded.

    The protesters blocked the highway at the main entrance of the Institution, chanting different solidarity songs and displaying placards with various inscriptions such as: “End ASUU Strike”, “Save our future”, “Stop Toying with our Future.”

    Speaking with newsmen, Mr Abiodun Ibiyemi, the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the university, said:”we can no longer bear the brunt of the feud between ASUU and the Federal Government.

    ”We call for well-established resolution for the benefit of the students.

    ”Our future is being challenged by constant and lingering strike”,

    Thenewsguru.com reports that the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Sunday Asefon, on May 10 condemned the strike extension and declared a nationwide protest.

    Asefon made this known following the ASUU’s announcement that it has extended its strike for 12 more weeks.

    ”Having exhausted all windows of constructive engagement with the government. I, on behalf of the national leadership of NANS, therefore, declare National Action from May 10.

    ”The national action tagged “Operation Test Run” shall be held in all the 36 states of the federation. Federal roads across the 36 states shall be occupied for a minimum of three hours.

    NAN also reports that on Feb. 15, ASUU began a four-week rollover strike following the Federal Government’s failure to meet its demands.

    The National President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said the decision was taken after the union’s National Executive Committee meeting.

    Osodeke said since the last meeting the union had with the Federal Government in December 2021, it had not received any formal invitation from government.

    ASUU extended the action by another two months to afford the government more time to address all of its demands.

    ASUU also accused the government of displaying an indifferent attitude toward its demands.

    Osodeke, in a statement to announce the extension of the rollover strike, noted that the national executive council of the union “was disappointed that Government did not treat the matters involved with utmost urgency they deserved during the four-week period as expected of a reasonable, responsive, and well-meaning administration”.

    He said NEC concluded that the government had failed to satisfactorily address all the issues raised in the 2020 FGN/ASUU Memorandum of Action (MoA) within the four-week roll-over strike period and resolved that the strike be rolled over for another eight weeks.

    The statement read in part: “The meeting was called to review developments since the Union declared a four weeks total and comprehensive roll-over strike action at the end of its NEC meeting at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos on Feb. 12 to Feb. 13.

    sodeke said the strike continues over the government’s failure to “satisfactorily” implement the Memorandum of Action (MoA) it signed with the Union in December 2020 on funding for revitalisation of public universities (both Federal and States), renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ ASUU Agreement and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

    Other demands of the union as listed by ASUU include Earned Academic Allowances, State Universities, promotion arrears, withheld salaries, and non-remittance of third-party deductions.

  • FUTA gets first female Vice Chancellor, Adenike Oladiji

    FUTA gets first female Vice Chancellor, Adenike Oladiji

    The Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology Akure(FUTA) has appointed Prof. Adenike Oladiji of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin as its eight substantive vice chancellor.

    This is contained in a statement by Mr Richard Arifalo, the Registrar of FUTA and Secretary to the Council, on Thursday in Akure.

    Arifalo stated that the council presided over by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Dr Godknows Igali, ratified the appointment at its special meeting on Thursday.

    He explained that the council had shortlisted 20 candidates out of the 27 male and one female candidates that applied for the position for interview at the close of application for the post.

    The registar added that 19 candidates were interviewed with one of the shortlisted candidates failing to show up.

    According to him, at the end of the interview, the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board of the institution recommended three candidates for appointment in line with extant regulations governing the process.

    The registrar explained that the council members had to vote to pick the new vice chancellor.

    “Because of the closeness of the score of the three recommended candidates, a difference of 0.1 per cent, the Council decided to put it to vote and Prof. Oladiji came out tops, hence her appointment.

    ‘Under extant laws, appointment of Vice Chancellors of Universities is domiciled with the Governing Council of Universites which, on the advice of an internal selection committee, has the power to choose from any of the three best candidates submitted to it.

    “According to a letter of appointment personally signed by Dr Igali, Prof. Oladiji’s appointment which takes effect from Tuesday, May 24, 2022 is for a single term of five years,” he stated.

    Born on April 27, 1968, Oladiji attended Christ Anglican School, Ijomu-Oro, Iludun Oro Primary School, Kwara from 1972 to 1977 and St. Claire’s Anglican Grammar School, Offa, Kwara from 1977 to 1982.

    She holds a B.Sc Biochemistry, Second Class Upper Division Degree from the University of Ilorin, 1988, MSc. Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, 1991 and Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Biochemistry from the University of Ilorin, 1997.

    The new FUTA VC joined the services of the University of Ilorin in July 1992 as Assistant Lecturer and was appointed a Professor in September 2011.

    Oladiji is happily married and blessed with children.

    Oladiji succeeds Prof. Joseph Fuwape, whose term ends on Monday, May 23, 2022.

  • FUTA students blame varsity over colleague’s death

    FUTA students blame varsity over colleague’s death

    Students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo state are protesting the demise of one of their colleagues identified as Daniel Akinyele.

    TheNewsGuru reports that Akinyele, who is a 200 level Software Engineering student, was involved in an accident with four others on Monday night along Oba Adesina road in the state capital.

    TheNewsGuru gathered his friends tried to get an ambulance belonging to the institution to rush him to the hospital for prompt treatment but the health workers alleged that the vehicle was out of fuel.

    “The five students were actually coming back from a club last night when they had a lone accident,” a source said.

     

    “One of them, Daniel Akinyele, popularly known as 9jaBazz has been confirmed dead while the four others are badly injured and currently receiving treatment.

    “We heard this morning that security operatives denied access to the students and an attempt to call an ambulance was said to be futile as the FUTA health center said there was no fuel in the bus.”

    In the same vein, another FUTA student said the varsity campus was witnessing movement limitations.

     

    “One of the five students died; four were wounded. They had been rushed to the FUTA clinic. On getting to the gate, we understand the sheriff didn’t allow them entry. The emergency bus also said there was no fuel,” he said.

    “It happened on Monday night. Right now there is no movement in FUTA; students are trying to protest.”As of the time of this report, the management at FUTA had yet to publicly react to the development.

    As of the time of this report, the management at FUTA had yet to comment on the issue.

  • Our ordeal in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina: FUTO students

    Two table Tennis players from Federal University of Technology, Owerri detained in Bosnia-Herzegovina refugee camp, have returned home and narrated their ordeal, from the day they were mistakenly arrested by Croatia security and dumped at the Bosnia border.

    Abia Uchenna and Eboh Chinedu, both students of Federal University of Technology Owerri(FUTO), returned to Nigeria late on the night of Dec. 20.

    The two students were received by the Secretary of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mr Sule Yakubu Bassi, who represented the Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

    The chairman welcomed the students back home and asked them to narrate their ordeal in Croatia, so that some lessons would be learnt from their story and most importantly for Nigerian youths to hear and learn from it.

    Uchenna and Chinedu listed among their ordeal while in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina language barrier, harsh and hostile treatment and camp conditions as well as feeding.

    They said they were however overwhelmed with joy to be back home.

    Dabiri-Erewa also urged Nigerian students to always be of good behaviour wherever they found themselves by obeying the laws of the country they were visiting.

    She commended the Federal Government through the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, the Nigerian Ambassador to Hungary, and all mission staff for the humane and prompt response to the plight of the two Nigerians.

    After narrating their nasty experiences in the hands of Croatian authorities, the two students said: ”First of all, we want to thank NIDCOM for the kind gesture they have shown us and the citizens of this great country Nigeria when we were passing through the challenges out in the foreign land.

    “We want to thank especially Mama Diaspora in the person of Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

    ”She is indeed a mother – someone that Nigerians in diaspora could depend on.

    “The way she spoke to us on telephone from Nigeria when we were in camp in Bosnia was very encouraging,

    ”We cannot thank her enough, she provided hotel accommodation and feeding when we arrived here in Abuja,” they said.

    They applauded the quick intervention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Hungary, and all Embassy Staff in Budapest.

    Uchenna and Chinedu arrived Croatia on Nov. 12, to participate in the fifth World Inter Universities Championship, had visas granting them the right to stay until Nov. 18, 2019.

    The Inter-Universities organisation confirmed that the original copies of the visas issued by the Croatian authorities to both students was valid at the time of their detention.

    The pair, left Pula for the Croatian capital, Zagreb, after the tournament and were supposed to fly to Lagos on November.L

    “The night before our departure, on the Nov. 17, we checked out from the hostel and went for a walk in Zagreb,” Chinedu said in an interview.

    “Suddenly, we were stopped by the police who asked us for our identification documents.

    “We tried to explain that our passports were in the hostel and that we had a regular visa, but they paid no attention to what we were saying .”

    The officers allegedly mistook them for undocumented immigrants, put them in a van and transferred them to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina where, that day, Croatian authorities had gathered a group of migrants who were intercepted as they were attempting to cross into the country.

  • Court stops FUTA VC from spending earned allowances

    Court stops FUTA VC from spending earned allowances

    The National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, has dragged the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, (FUTA), Prof Adeola Fuwape before an Akure National Industrial Court(NIC) over alleged illegal disbursement and misappropriation of Earned Allowances to undeserving staff without recourse to 2009 federal government/Unions Agreement.

    The presiding Judge, Justice Abiola Adewemimo has therefore granted an exparte order, restraining the management of FUTA from spending or disbursing the third tranche of the earned allowance released by the federal government pending the determination of the case.

    Lawyer to NAAT, FUTA branch, Iyiola Afolabi had prayed the court to grant the interim injunction to enable plaintiffs to put the University, Non Academic Staff Union(NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities(SSANU)on notice over the litigation.

    Speaking with reporters after court’s sitting, the Chairman of NAAT, FUTA Branch, Alex Omoraka, alleged that the management of the university had been breaching the Unions’ agreement with government on categories of staff entitled to benefit from the earned allowance.

    Omoraka said, “It’s on record that Federal government has queried FUTA Management on illegal disbursement of N30 billion earlier released. FUTA is the first University to repeat this illegality in the recently released of N8 billion for the payment of Earned Allowances to deserving staff members”.

    “The NAAT-FUTA Branch Chairman noted that earned allowances must be paid to only deserving staff based on 2009 FGN/Unions Agreements rather father Xmas gift the FUTA Vice Chancellor turned the government’s fund to”.

    He further said University staff that received illegal payment should be made to refund the same with immediate effect as corruption in the name of Earned allowances must be stopped.

    Omoraka said, “On forensic audit report on N30 billion Earned Allowances, NAAT commended the Federal Government for swiftly acting on the report by issuing queries to indicted Vice-Chancellors. However, government should go beyond the queries and sanction Vice-Chancellors found to be culpable appropriately”.

    He noted that “also University Staff that received what was not due to them (wrongly paid) should be made to refund same. Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities must not allow themselves to be intimidated or pressured into paying the money to undeserving staff”.

    “NAAT stands by the templates derived from the respective agreements which the Unions signed with FGN in 2009 – as was tendered at the Joint Action Committee, JAC, and Unions meeting with NUC officials on December 20, 2018”,

    The court subsequently adjourned hearing of the case till February 13 while all parties were to maintain status quo.

     

  • Why FG should not heed calls to rename FUTA after Shagari – Alumni

    Following the call to rename the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), after the late former President Sheu Shagari, the alumni of the institution have kicked against the call, saying it might mar the brand of the institution.

    It was gathered that after the death of Shagari, there have been calls from some quarters, that the former President be immortalised by naming one of the federal universities, established during his administration between 1979 to 1983, after him.

    Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, the President of the FUTA Alumni Association, Olaitan Adesomoju, appealed to the Federal Government to disregard the suggestion that Shagari be immortalised by renaming FUTA after him.

    According to the alumni president, a name change for FUTA would do more harm than good to the institution, which he said, had over the years created an international brand for itself with the name FUTA.

    Adesomoju said, the focus for the institution should be how its infrastructural and academic advancement would be uplifted by the Federal Government, stressing that aside FUTA, one of the other institutions established in various parts of the country by Shagari could be renamed after him.

    He said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), in his tribute to the late Alhaji Shehu Shagari with the title ‘’Name Federal University of Technology, Akure after Shagari ‘ published in several National daily newspapers.

    “We, the entire members of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Alumni Association worldwide, view this as a personal opinion or a mere suggestion from Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), whom most of us refer to as a father.

    “After extensive consultation and discussions with alumni members globally, we wish to state clearly that the overwhelming majority vehemently oppose any name change to our great alma mater.

    “It is of note that the Federal University of Technology, Akure was not the only University established by an act of parliament during Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s regime, at least six other Federal University of Technology were established. Furthermore, FUTA is an established professional brand that is globally respected for technological innovations.

    “FUTA has also developed several domestic and international collaborations with other leading institutions. These advances and relationship would be marred in an identity crisis by changing its established brand name on the whim of an individual.

    “Evidence abounds that previous name changes for purposes of immortalization have done a lot of damage to institutions of higher learning than good and there is nowhere in the world that institutions of higher learning over five years old are abruptly renamed after the demise of a leader. For example, Harvard and Oxford have kept the same name since their creation and establishment; these brands are globally respected and identifiable.”‘

    Adesomoju, however, advised the Federal Government that rather than renaming the institution after Shagari, it should consider building a world-class infrastructure like science laboratories, lecture theatre, or any other infrastructure that will last for a long time in FUTA and name it after the late former president.

    “This will help resolve some of the challenges we have on our campus rather than compounding them with a name change. We hereby plead with the Federal Government to allow the brand ‘FUTA’ to remain in the name of posterity and peace.” the alumni president urged.

     

  • FUTA VC lauds Betty Akeredolu on breast cancer awareness

    FUTA VC lauds Betty Akeredolu on breast cancer awareness

    Wife of Ondo State Governor, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu has received a pat on the back for her endless commitment towards raising awareness on breast cancer in Nigeria.

    The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Professor Joseph Adeola Fuwape, gave the commendation during a lunch meeting organized by Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN) at the Multipurpose Hall, FUTA, Ondo State.

    Professor Fuwape observed that BRECAN has been a notable vanguard in creating awareness of the life-threatening disease and expressed FUTA’s readiness to partner with BRECAN towards fulfilling its mandate.

    In his words, “The Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria has been a vanguard of creating the needed awareness on breast cancer disease in Nigeria. I have the privilege of reading through that BRECAN was established about twenty years ago. Can we give a round of applause for BRECAN… Another round of applause for the Arabinrin as the CEO of BRECAN.

    The Foundation’s pro-education initiative has impacted on lives of many who would have succumbed to the disease due to ignorance and lack of support. It is heartwarming to know that one of the initiatives of BRECAN, which is Jog for Life, has succeeded in breaking down the walls of secrecy and stigmatization.

    BRECAN has so provided emotional and informational support to women on healthy living and good diet, to the extent that we have survivors and people who have testimonies on how they have been able to overcome the challenges of breast cancer.

    I believe that the area where BRECAN has made so much impact is the preventive area.”

    The university Don further revealed that FUTA has the much needed capacity to partner with BRECAN.

    ” FUTA was granted a license by the Nigerian Universities Council to establish the School of Health and Health Technology, with programmes in human anatomy, biomedical technology and physiology.

    With this, the university is at a great pedestal to really partner with BRECAN, because it has to do with the health and wellbeing of not only the female but also of the family… The Federal University of Technology, Akure is indeed proud of our association with Her Excellency, the First Lady of Ondo State, the Founder of BRECAN. We wish BRECAN higher accomplishments in fulfilling its mandate.”

    In her presentation, the Founder of BRECAN, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, noted that cancer advocacy in Nigeria is making progress as BRECAN now has seven state chapters with their advocacy focusing on education, early diagnosis through screening, improved government policies and funding for cancer control. She also encouraged survivors to be bold and tell their stories.

    The lunch meeting which focused on “Cancer Control Programme in Ondo State: The Journey So Far” had in attendance the Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, Consultant to Ondo State Government on Cancer Control, Dr. Kingsley Ndo, WECAN delegates, some stakeholders in the health sector, top government officials and principal officers of the University.