The Federal University Oye-Ekiti has once again taken the spotlight in Nigeria’s innovation landscape as its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, received the prestigious Leadership Excellence Award, while the University itself was honoured with the Institutional Honorary Fellowship Award by the Association of Nigerian Inventors (ANI).
Prof. Tajudeen Opoola receiving the Awards on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor
The twin recognitions were formally announced ahead of the 3rd National Invention Workshop and Exhibition, under the theme “Achieving Economic Development through Invention and Innovation – Driving Food and Agricultural Security.”
According to ANI, Professor Fasina was selected for the Leadership Excellence Award in recognition of his visionary leadership, administrative distinction, and outstanding contributions to innovation and institutional transformation. The Association described him as a “champion of academia–industry collaboration” whose unwavering commitment to research and practical innovation has inspired a new generation of inventors, thinkers, and problem-solvers.
Award of Leadership Excellence for FUOYE Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, on Display
In a historic development, FUOYE also emerged as the first Nigerian university to receive ANI’s Institutional Honorary Fellowship Award, marking it as a national centre of inventive excellence and a strategic partner in building Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
Speaking on behalf of the University Management, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Admin) Professor Tajudeen Opoola commended the Association for recognizing FUOYE’s consistent drive for innovation and excellence. He described the awards as “a testament to the visionary leadership of Professor Abayomi Fasina and the collective efforts of the University community in promoting creativity, research, and invention-driven development.” Professor Opoola further reaffirmed FUOYE’s readiness to sustain its collaboration with ANI and other stakeholders in advancing the nation’s innovation agenda.
The presentation of these distinguished awards was one of the major highlights of the national workshop, where leading inventors, investors, policymakers, and industry stakeholders gathered to celebrate excellence and chart new directions for Nigeria’s innovation-driven development. The event further cemented FUOYE’s reputation as a trailblazer in fostering creativity, research, and technological advancement across the nation.
