..Solicits more support from public
By Editor
Faced with the daunting task of immediate commencement of academic activities in the 2025/2026 academic session barely one month after creation, the new Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin Ekiti did what many perceived as unthinkable as it kickstarted operations of the university without the necessary support from the Federal Government.
And today, the university not only met the deadline but has concluded it’s 2025/26 academic session with the first 1,564 students of the citadel of learning who are presently on vacation and expected to resume next October.
It was thus an occasion for showcasing the phenomenal achievements and rapid develoment of Nigeria’s first specialized university within the short time frame by the institution’s premier Vice Chancellor Prof. Gbenga Aribisala at a press conference held at the school’s conference hall at the weekend.
The Professor of Engineering and seasoned education administrator in his maiden press address restated the core mandate of FUTES as a residential ICT compliant university envisioned to produce quality graduates that would not be looking for jobs but would be job creators.
His words; “I envisioned a university that would attract research staffs that are globally visible and can carry out cutting edge research and contribute to the socio-economic develoment of the immediate community as well as a university that would be one of the leading universities globally within the first ten years of its establishment”
However, the university don particularly singled out the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele CON, for coming forth for the institution at the critical stage.
Aribisala said; “The Senate Leader provided the seed money, he provided most of the buildings available here and at the permanent site. He also gave us vehicles and I would say this was part of the reasons why it was possible for us to take off”. He said.
He gave similar commendation to the Managing Director of Premium Trust Bank, Pastor Dr. Emmanuel Efe. Efefiem, CON for providing the seed money which was used to set up the laboratories.
Others on the list of benefactors according to the VC included the Iyin monarch, Oba Adeola Ajakaye for facilitating buildings housing the school’s Pre-degree and Environmental Sciences faculties amongst other buildings donated by the royal father in conjunction with some prominent indigenes of the community.
The Vice Chancellor added that the gigantic construction going on at the permanent site was facilitated by some families who donated 200 hectares of land for the school while the Federal Government take-off grant which was paid last year helped the institution in providing laboratory equipment, office and classrooms furniture as well as solar power installation
Speaking further Prof. Aribisala, who prioritized residential accomodation for the students said; “Some hostels are now ready especially at the take-off site for male and female students. Again, through Public, Private Partnership and intervention of some individuals, some hostels are also nearing completion that before the next academic session in October, I want to believe that some will be ready”
On TETFUND which Aribisala commended for doing greatly for the university as he stated that several projects are ongoing simultaneously and at different stages in the areas of hostel accommodation, office furniture, lecture theatres, laboratory and workshop equipment.
On research, the VC applauded the university for winning the NRM Research Grant within it’s first acadamic session and the winner is Dr. Solomon Popoola of the Faculty of Computing.
He said further; “During our matriculation, the Senate Leader also pledged research fund to the tune of N1bn in the next five years at a cost of N200m per year and as I speak to you, staff have started writing and there is a Senate Committee that is looking at those so as to ensure standard for us to be able to access the first tranche of the money
“Still on research, we have a center for research and innovation which has been asked to establish multi-disciplinary research groups that can attract grants both within Nigeria and outside Nigeria. This is in collaboration we are doing with Morgan State University in the US”
On a happy note, Prof Aribisala disclosed that a good number of FUTES students were already benefitting from NELFUND during their first academic session.
Again, the University’s Chief celebrated two 100-Level, a Mathematics student of the institution Okoroafor Kelechi Divine who won the second place in the Data Analysis and Visualisation Category having competed with 400-Level students of other universities and also Ojo David from Data Science department who secured the third place in the Predictive Model category.
In a similar vein, Aribisala announced that four of FUTES lecturers were ranked among 500 researchers in Nigeria describing the develoment as an attestation of the quality of academic staff and students the institution has attracted.
On staff welfare, the VC said that the University has been able to pay to date and cleared all salary arrears of the new salary structure.
On a final note Prof Aribisala made a clarion call on all public spirited individuals to come to the aid of the new university as he claims governent can not do it alone.
According to him, “Partnership is also welcomed in the area of hostel accommodation and even in the provision of other facilities in the university”.
Meanwhile, journalists were taken on a sight seen tour of the proposed permanent site of the world class university which was a huge construction site comprises of about 1000 -room hostel accommodation, an Olympic size stadium, a shopping mall, lecture theatres, administrative blocks amongst other facilities with 24 hour solar power supply.
The maiden press conference was attended by top management staff of the institution including the Deputy Vice Chancellor, the bursar, the school’s Librarian who is a professor amongst others while Mr Femi Sean, spokesperson of the institution moderated the one day program.
