From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The Vice Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja, Prof Olayemi Akinwumi, has said his achievements in his first year in office as the third vice chancellor of the 10-year-old institution is proof that God had prepared him for the position.
Prof Akinwumi, in an exclusive interview with the Sun Newspaper on his first year in office, said that before his appointment God had made him to pass through all the necessary stages of the university system so as to be moulded to perform optimally as vice chancellor.
According to him, ‘I have gone through the necessary stages of the university system; I was a Head of department, Dean of Faculty, a director, a council member and a deputy vice chancellor before my appointment as a vice chancellor. So, there is practically nothing that is strange to me in the university system. Therefore, I believe it is the discern of the Almighty God to bring me at this time to transform the university.’
The VC said although he inherited a divided university where there were factions within the academic staff, different camps within Indigene and non indigene staff, he was able to unite all the camps even as he had to visit some staff in their houses and knelt down to beg them to give peace a chance.
On his achievements in his first year, the VC said he was able to carry out institutionalisation of academic traditions and ceremonies where by six professors’ have been able to deliver their inagural lectures out of the two who had delivered since the establishment of the school 10 years ago.
Prof Akinwumi also said in his bid to achieve physical development and expansion, the university has commenced academic activities to the permanent site at the Felele campus while stringent security measures have been carried out to secure the lives of students and staff at the permanent site.
The VC also announced that the university request for the upward review of the students admission quota to the NUC and JAMB from 1,500 students per session has been granted to 4,000
He said he was able to move the ranking of the university from eight among the twelve federal universities that were established in 2012 to the number one position and expressed his committement to the highest standard of education noting that the university will soon rank among the best 10 within the sub Sahara Africa.
Prof Akinwumi said there were lots of physical transformations and academic improvements recorded within his short stay in office which he said was already creating some positive impacts upon the staff and students
He noted that the Academic staff of various Departments are being considered for award of Foreign Study Fellowship to pursue Master and PhD programmes in their respective fields through TETFund intervention.
He also said Some Academic Statf are also being considered for award of Local Study Fellowships to pursue their PhD programmes and Masters degrees through TETFund sponsorship.
Prof Akinunmi stated that the management was striving to increase and improve on the existing facilities and to equally lay emphasis on staff training and development so that the university would be able to cope with the increasing number of students.