Otitoju Femi
The Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) on Thursday, November 20, 2025, staged a momentous academic ceremony as it hosted 20th Inaugural Lecture at the 1,000-capacity University Auditorium.
The event, which commenced at exactly 2:00 p.m., attracted a distinguished assemblage of university management, staff, Deans, seasoned academics, researchers from outside the university community, and an enthusiastic gathering of friends, family, and well-wishers of the day’s celebrated inaugural lecturer.
The spotlight of the day fell on Prof. Christopher Ajiboye Fapounda, a renowned Professor of Civil Engineering with a specialization in Structural Engineering, who delivered a highly anticipated lecture titled “Resiliency in Developing Resilient and Sustainable Structural Concrete Materials for Sustainable Civil Infrastructure from Agricultural Wastes.”
His presentation was widely applauded for offering what many described as a landmark roadmap toward eliminating persistent menace of building collapse in Nigeria.
In his deeply researched and eloquently presented lecture, Prof. Fapounda lamented what he described as tragic recurrence of building collapse incidents across Nigeria, saying that such disasters had long become “history” in most developed countries, especially across Europe.
This, he attributed to the existence of a robust, universally enforced building standard; a standard painstakingly drafted by a consortium of eleven top-tier structural engineering organizations in the United Kingdom.
“In Nigeria,” the Don revealed “the equivalent organizations exist but the major challenge lies in bringing them to sit together and produce an acceptable national standard. Legal complexities, bureaucratic hurdles, and the long process of securing legislative approval stand in the way.”
He, however, warned that even if such bodies were successfully convened, “the journey toward producing a standard that becomes national law would span several years,” pointing to an urgent need for political will and unified technical collaboration.
Prof. Fapounda emphasized that, for now, the British Standard for Reinforced Concrete (RC) design remained the official and functional benchmark in Nigeria, urging structural engineers to adhere strictly to it with a view to saving lives and preventing preventable structural failures.
Although his primary lecture title dwelled on sustainability and material innovation, Prof. Fapounda adopted a compelling alternative title: “The Agony and Travails of a Structural Engineer.”
With clarity, humor, and scholarly depth, he walked the audience through the complexities of structural design calculations which determined safety, materials that would dictate durability, and the painstaking processes governing modern construction.
Drawing from decades of groundbreaking research, he showcased how sustainable building materials would be derived from agricultural wastes, including sawdust and other by-products abundant within the ecological environment of FUOYE.
While urging the university to channel greater support toward harvesting such environmentally friendly materials, he said that FUOYE’s natural surroundings were rich enough to support both research and curriculum advancement in sustainable construction materials.
A vocal advocate for educational reform, Prof. Fapounda spotlighted the pressing need for a more impactful and practical curriculum in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions while referencing 7-hour professional examination mandated by the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStuctE) as a step toward strengthening competence in the profession.
This, he noted that more must be done in that regards.
To this end, he introduced his innovative teaching model, Independent Data Assignment (IDA) a system that ensured every student received unique design data, eliminating duplication and compelling deeper analytical engagement.
Prof. Fapounda said: “This method promotes structural literacy and numeracy, addresses UN-SDG 4 on quality education, and strengthens the confidence of government and industry stakeholders in graduates of civil engineering.”
In a riveting intellectual segment, Prof. Fapounda critiqued the current National Universities Commission’s (NUC) definition of civil engineering, arguing that this remained inferior to the more rigorous and comprehensive definition being used in the United Kingdom; the origin of Nigeria’s engineering tradition.
He offered the classical definition of civil/structural engineering, a sweeping description of the profession’s role in designing infrastructure ranging from roads, bridges, ports, and aqueducts to drainage systems, lighthouses, machinery, and navigation systems.
His exposition served as both a historical lesson and a call for Nigeria to align with global standards.
Perhaps the most fascinating moment of the lecture came when the professor ventured into the realm of philosophy and classical history, invoking the ancient wisdom of Caesar, referencing the concept of “Summum Bonum”, the ultimate good.
Quoting from Moyle’s 1912 translation of Caesar’s constitutional writings, he highlighted the threefold moral imperative:
“To live honestly, to injure no one, and to give every man his due.”
He connected this philosophical principle directly to structural engineering, asserting that the profession was fundamentally committed to these ideals—ensuring that every design, every structure, and every implemented plan would promote safety, honesty, societal benefit, and the equitable distribution of engineering excellence.
As the lecture drew to a close, the atmosphere shifted from intellectual intensity to deep emotion as Prof. Fapounda visibly overwhelmed, shared his personal journey, one marked by perseverance, sacrifice, and the support of individuals who stood by him in difficult times.
He became emotional, and at moments sobbed, as he recounted the hardships that shaped his career.
The audience responded with a powerful, heartfelt round of applause, rising in solidarity to honour his vulnerability and resilience.
In a fitting climax, the Vice-Chancellor of FUOYE, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, represented by Prof. Tajudeen Bolanle Opoola, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), formally pronounced Prof. Christopher Ajiboye Fapounda as a full Professor of Civil Engineering at the institution.
The auditorium erupted in celebration as colleagues, students, and family members congratulated the scholar whose work continues to shape both the academic community and the nation’s engineering landscape.
The FUOYE’s 20th Inaugural Lecture will be remembered not only for its intellectual depth but also for its emotional resonance and its bold call to reshape engineering standards in Nigeria.
Prof. Fapounda’s message was clear: Nigeria has the talent, resources, and knowledge to end building collapses but only unity, discipline, and policy reform can make it happen.
As the university community filed out of the 1,000-capacity auditorium into the evening air, one sentiment lingered among attendees: this was more than a lecture but a blueprint for national transformation.
Photo Credit: Toluwanimi Bamigbola
