By Magnus Effiong
The Obong of Calabar and Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V has assured President Bola Tinubu of full support as the President seeks to take the country to greater heights.
The First Class Monarch, who spoke in Abeokuta, Friday, during FUNAAB 30th Convocation ceremony also commended the President’s “determination, courage and boldness in dealing with the myriad of challenges facing the country.”
He however, appealed to President Tinubu, a Visitor to the University, to reconstitute and appoint the Governing Council of the public universities as soon as possible.
“This is particularly imperative for us as the tenures of both the Registrar and Bursar are coming to an end and there must be a Board in place to normalise the functioning of the university.
“In general, we look forward to the education sector being given top priority by the federal government so that our higher institutions can compete favourably with other high ranking universities in the world,” he stated.
The Monarch further appealed to Tinubu to restore the University’s courses in the erstwhile College of Management Sciences, now known as College of Entrepreneurial and Development Studies which, he said, were delisted under the immediate past administration.
He said: “The College was established to allow greater access to higher education by the ever-increasing number of eligible candidates who are unable to access higher education due to insufficient admission spaces in the Federal Universities.”
The Obong of Calabar also played host to three traditional rulers in the state, who visited him at his lodge within the university campus. The Monarchs were Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Matemilola and the Ajalaye of Ilogun South, Ijebu Northeast, Oba Emmanuel Olusanu.
Edidem Abasi Otu V had earlier taken part in commissioning of projects across the vast University campus, some of which were a 300-seater lecture theatre, under graduate students hostel, Animal demonstration laboratory, Post graduate students hostels amongst others.
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Kehinde Olusola, said the school was graduating a total of 2,823 students with 118 of them making the institution’s First Class honour list.
1,094 students, he said, made the Second Class Upper division category, 188 others were listed as Third Class honour graduates while 266 bagged Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree.
According to the VC, 16 Post Graduate Diploma, 215 Masters and 113 PhDs students qualified to receive their academic certificates.
