…as they welcome out-going VC Prof. back home in memorable valedictory session
By Wole Balogun
(S A Media to VC)
It was pomp recently as the Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) held a befitting reception/ valedictory session for one of their own, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, who returns to them after a highly impactful and successful five-year tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the University. The day was Thursday 29th January, 2026 and on hand to give Prof. Fasina an heroic welcome were the academic and non- academic members of staff as well as students of the faculty.
The faculty’s miltipurpose hall where the reception/valedictory session held was filled with teeming crowd of grateful staff and students who poured encomium on Prof. Fasina in appreciation of his exemplary and impactful leadership as a teacher, academic mentor and more importantly, manager and builder of human resources.
A warm welcome parade performed in great enthusiasm by students of the faculty’s Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, who were kitted in ceremonious black and white attires, kicked off the session. This was excitedly followed with tributes for the out going Vice-Chancellor by attendees as led by Dean of the Faculty, Prof. S.B. Fakayode, who said Prof. Fasina deserves a heroic welcome to his home faculty for making them really proud with a five-year meritorious service to the University. Prof Fakayode described the amiable Vice-Chancellor as: “a trailblazer and a man of big dreams, who under his watch the University has experienced tremendous and unprecedented achievement”.
Prof. Ayodele Fajinmi, who heads Ikole Campus, also poured encomium on Prof. Fasina, describing him as a man of many impacts with a five-year tenure of impact and influence. In his own remarks, Prof. Temitope Babalola, Dean of Student Affairs, lauded Professor Fasina as a man: “who bends success towards the people and not the people toward success.” Speaking further, he said: “Professor Fasina is a mentor who does something rarer than other mentors, he builds not just careers, but humans and that is the highest promotion”.
Corroborating Professor Babalola’s encomium on the VC, Dr. Tosin Tope-Jegede, who paid a glowing tribute to Professor Fasina, described herself as another evidence of the outgoing VC’s mentorship and commitment to building lives. She specially appreciated Professor Fasina for his tremendous efforts in advancing the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Institution.
Dr Tope-Jegede who remarked that the outgoing VC’s impact in her life had begun from her undergraduate days while he was Dean of Faculty, said: “I always look forward to your class, you made me love lecturing as a job because you taught with passion. You didn’t just teach me, you gave me the opportunity to teach as well”.
While Prof. Bolaji Adeniji also congratulated the VC on a successful tenure in office, wishing him greater heights in future endeavours, Dr. Olubunmi Sodipe, Head, Department of Animal Production and Health, who soije for all Heads of Departments present at the reception, thanked Professor Fasina for all he did for the various departments and the faculty at large especially in terms of welfare and deserving promotion of members of staff.
Mr. Adeola Apuabi, who also spoke on behalf of the technical staff, appreciated the outgoing VC for his commitment to the well-being and welfare of staff, mentioning that: “welfare of staff has been your priority, and Mr. VC sir, we all felt it”.
Dr. Uju Osakwe, incumbent Head of the Department of Soil and Land Resources Management, which is Professor Fasina’s department, expressed great joy and gratitude while appreciating the outgoing VC. She recalled with great gratitude how the VC had passionately encouraged her to pursue her doctorate degree programme on time in order for her to be rewarded with deserving promotion, and praying for him, she said: said: “Thank you Professor Fasina, your generations will not suffer”.
Just before the out going VC responded to the encomium poured on him, elated students of the faculty also appluaded him with repeated chants of a song: “You are a leader”, to express their gratitude.
Professor Fasina, in his response, thanked God who has been his support system even in difficult times while leading the University. He reiterated that God is the one who promotes and give positions. He expressed his joy in seeing others prosper and having impact in the growth of people.
He concluded by thanking all members of staff and encouraged all to desist from back-stabbing which would not in any way project the name of the University in good light.
The event was graced by Prof. Adeboye and Prof. Adeola Kehinde, Prof. Alabadan, the Deans of faculty of Environmental, Law and Postgraduate School respectively while the curtains were drawn with group photograph with the VC, the architect of modern FUOYE.
