Foluso Ogunmodede (PRO)
Determined to leave his footprint on the sands of time as the best Vice-Chancellor of Nigeria’s fastest-growing University- the Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, has again, added to his infrastructure drive of the university.
At a colourful event on Oye campus of the university, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fasina performed a foundation stone of a multi-million naira 1,600-Bed space.
The foundation stone was performed at the institution’s students’ Village located on Oye campus of the Federal University.
The 1,600-Bed space would birth 400 rooms for males and females alongside supermarket, common-room, laundry among other facilities.
At the foundation stone event were the university’s Principal Officers-Deputy Vice-Chancellors Administration, Prof. Bolanle Tajudeen Opoola, Prof. Olubunmi Shittu (Academics), university Registrar, Mr. Mufutau Adeshina Ibrahim and Mrs. Adebolanle Adekemisola Debo-Ajagunna (Bursar).
Others were the Director Special Duties to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Omojola Awosusi, Dean Environmental Designs and Management, Prof. I.A Olatunji, Dean Students’ Affairs, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Ali, Dr. Laide Olatunji, students’union leaders and the facilitators of the project, OLOF Integrated Services Limited.
However, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, who laid the foundation stone for the multi-million naira 1,600-bed space project, lauded a committee headed by Prof. Olatunji for a job-well handled, which fast-tracked the project, describing it as a landmark project.
He said: “Today’s foundation stone is a landmark event in the annals of this great university. If I have my way I would have called on Professor Olatunji’s Committee to step up further action on restructuring the entire Works Department for optimal performance.
“The university is a citadel of learning and the need to always set up good example for the community has become inevitable.
“As a university, we must make impact on our environment, one of it is to promote about 200 academic staff into a professorial cadre before the expiration of my tenure.
“As a matter of fact, we must change the orientation of our staff with a view to making us a desired change-agent.
“I want to thank Dr. Awosusi, whose steadfastness has made impact, trying to change the narrative; I want a healthy competition that would bring development. I would want to also suggest that the Professor Olatunji’s Committee should give prospective partners and developers a- three- month deadline and moratorium for their projects.”
While the Vice-Chancellor lauded developing partners’ effort, he said a project such as the 1,600-bed space would not only fast-track development of the university but also step up commerce as being witnessed in Aiyegbaju where lnstitute of Part-Time of the university is located. Commerce will thrive once the university is developed.
Prof. Fasina went on: “I will also seize the momentous event to appeal to everyone here to change our perspective and orientation so as to make FUOYE great. We must always think outside the box to develop the system as only when we are in a system that positive roles would be played.
“Today we’re very happy. We thank the developer and his wife for this project. Please let us be a change-agent to develop the university and by extension work as a team to make FUOYE greater than we met it.”
Earlier, Dr. Laide Olatunji, who stood in for the developer, OLOF Integrated Services Limited, said the company was buoyed up by giant strides in infrastructure development being recorded by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fasina.
This, he said was more than enough drive for the developer to consider working with the Vice-Chancellor and his team with a view to helping the university in the area of infrastructure development.
The multi-million naira project, Dr. Olatunji said would be completed and delivered in September, this year.
Meanwhile, Prof. Olatunji and his Committee had recommended that there was the need for a perimeter survey, a layout , delineating the Students’ Village into plots.
Besides, while applauding the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fasina’s administration for opening up opportunities for development, urged him to replicate same on ikole campus.
However, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics, Prof. Olubunmi Shittu committed the project into GOD’s hands, while praying for the prospective occupants of the structure after completion of the project.
Photo credit: Nifesimi Ogungbe
