Education

Protest Rocks FUTA over Insecurity

By Web News 585

Students of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA, Ondo State, on Friday, protested what they described as incessant robbery attacks against them off the campus of the institution.

The protesters, who were singing various solidarity songs, barricaded the busy Akure -Ilesa Road, causing gridlock on the expressway.

The students said they staged a protest to call the attention of the management of the institution, the government, and the security agencies to act to save them from the activities of the bandits.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, said men of the command had been deployed in the area to ensure the protest was not hijacked by hoodlums.

Details later.

Punch / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Education

FUTA Shut Down over Students’ Protest

By Web News 339

Students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo State on Monday kicked against the decision of the school’s management to increase their school fees.

The protesters, who occupied the main gate of the institution, thereby preventing entry and exit, insisted that management must return to status quo ante.

Speaking with journalists, the President of FUTA Students Union, Olayemi Oluwasoromidayo, pleaded with the management of the school to maintain the previous years’ school fees.

Oluwasoromidayo said: “The student body has met with the management many times but it refused to yield to our demands so we decided to stage the protest.”

He pointed out that the management had increased the school fees to over N200,000  for freshers, while old students who were paying N35,000 would now pay N130,000.

He said they would continue to stage the protest until their demands were met.

However, the management of FUTA has shut down the institution indefinitely and ordered the indefinite postponement of resumption of students for the 2023/2024 academic session. 

A statement signed by the institution’s Director, Corporate Communication, Adegbenro Adebanjo, directed all students currently on campus and in hostels within the university to vacate them within 24 hours.

Besides, the management directed that registration of returning students via the university portal and payment of fees by all returning students for the new academic session via the portal scheduled to begin on Monday, January 15, 2024 is put on hold.

“It is important to state that the university did not open the portal for registration for returning students for the new session contrary to what was being bandied in the public domain.

“On the proposed new fees and charges, they are mainly for students related services which are sourced from the economy. And the costs of such goods and services provided by the university for the students will certainly be impacted by costs of goods and services in the economy.

“To ensure smooth running of the university, certain consumables and payments for municipal services such as electricity, water, hostel maintenance and cleaning and sundry other services are necessary and the costs of providing the services have shot up and the new charges are in response to this,” the statement said.

Adebanjo added that other costs that were adjusted as a result of the economic reality included medical examination for all new students, biometric ID cards and Tertiary Institutions Students Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) administered by NHIS for students and final year book .

“It is important to say that tuition is free and no money is being charged as tuition fee. The management reiterates that tuition remains free for all students and that it has inbuilt mechanism within the system to look into and build consensus on matters affecting students including charges and fees. And that mechanism is working on this matter and consensus will be achieved,” he said.

This Day / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Education

FUTA First Female VC Assumes Duty

By Web News 506

Professor Adenike Temidayo Oladiji has assumed duty as the first female and 8th substantive Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA.

Professor Oladiji took over following the completion of the tenure of Professor Adeola Fuwape on May 23rd 2022.

The new Vice Chancellor who is the 10th female VCs in Nigeria promised to build on the progress made so far in FUTA

Also speaking FUTA Pro – Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council , Ambassador Godknows Igali charged the new VC to cater for the welfare of workers

The coordinator , Ondo State National Council of Women Societies, Dr Jumoke Aborode advised Professor Oladiji to be humble in the bid to take the university to greater heights.

John Ebiofini

News

ASUU Strike : Students Barricade Major Roads in Ibadan, Akure

By Web News 564

Students of University of Ibadan, UI, have commenced protest from the University main gate.

The major road linking Sango, Bodija and Ojoo has also been barricaded with police personnel on ground.

As a result, motorists are finding alternate routes.

In a related development, students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) have commenced protest over the prolonged strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the country.

The protesting students barricaded the popular and ever busy Akure-Ilesa-Ibadan expressway this morning, forcing many motorists and travellers to be stranded as at the time of filing this report.

The students stormed the major highway at the main entrance of the Institution, chanting different solidarity songs and clutching placards with various inscriptions such as— “End ASUU Strike”, “Save our future”.

Similarly, some students in Ogun state have blocked the Sagamu-Benin expressway in protest against the ongoing strike action by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
The joint protest had in attendance students from Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Tai Solarin University of Education, Science and Technology (TASUED), Ijagun and Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB), Abeokuta.
The students stormed the TASUED axis and blocked the expressway leaving many motorists stranded and travellers trapped.
The students were carrying placards with inscriptions such as “ #End ASUU strike now#”, “ We say no to educational stagnancy”, “ We are tired of deadlock meetings” and “Education should not be this difficult” among others.
Speaking at the protest ground, the Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in the state, Comrade Damilola Simeon, appealed to the Federal government to respond urgently to the yearnings of ASUU.
The NANS Chairman stressed that it was high time the Federal government and members of ASUU agreed and reach a comprise to end the strike.
The NANS chairman begged the two parties to do the needful and call off the strike.
The Student Union Government President of TASUED, Don Ayomide , said that the protest was necessary to let both Federal government and ASUU be aware of the plight of the Nigerian students.
He added that the Federal government should endeavor to respect the agreements reached between the two parties, saying that the students were most affected by the current strike.

Bukola Bardi/Wale Oluokun

Education

FUTA gets first female Vice Chancellor as Governing Council, Appoints Adenike Oladiji

By Web News 1182

The Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA has appointed Professor Adenike Temidayo Oladiji of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, as the 8th substantive Vice Chancellor of the University.

The Council presided over by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Ambassador Dr Godknows Igali, ratified the appointment at its Special Meeting held in Akure.

According to a release by the Institution’s registrar ,Mr Richard Arifalo , Professor Oladiji came top following a due process in line with extant regulations governing appointment of Vice Chancellors of Universities domiciled with the Governing Council of Universites.

A letter of appointment signed by Ambassador Igali, says Oladiji’s appointment takes effect from Tuesday May 24, 2022 for a single term of five years.

Professor Oladiji succeeds Professor Joseph Fuwape, whose term ends on Monday, 23rd May, 2022.

The new VC born on 27th April, 1968 has over 29 years of continuous service in the university system.

She is also Member of Professional Bodies such as the West Africa Research and Innovation Management , American Society of Nutrition, Organization for Women in Science for Developing World , Science Association of Nigeria and Nigerian Society for Experimental Biology.

Professor Oladiji is married with children.

PR / Dupe Isename

Education

SSANU Strike : FUTA Complies, Shuts Offices

By Web News 672

All offices at the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA are shut as members of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, embarked on two weeks warning strike to press home their demands from the Federal Government.

Radio Nigeria correspondent who monitored the situation, reports that official duties in the university were completely paralysed.

Speaking with Radio Nigeria, FUTA SSANU Chairman, Comrade Felix Adubu said that the compliance of members was total.

Comrade Adubu explained that the refusal of the government to implement their demands for over twelve years prompted the strike

The FUTA SSANU Chairman pointed out that out of the nine issues agreed upon only one was partially addressed.

Comrade Adubu, therefore, called on the government to always adhere to implementing the agreements to salvage the rotten educational system.

The Authorities of FUTA already shut down the hostel facilities after ASUU extended its strike by additional two months forcing students to vacate the school premises.

John Ebiofini

Education

FUTA Confers First Degree Awards On 3,205

By Web News 935

The joy of every student lies in acquiring requisite knowledge to navigate to the next level of life at the end of every educational pursuit.

Such was the atmosphere as 3,205 graduands of FUTA were conferred with first degree awards from different faculties of studies.

Speaking at the occasion, the newly inaugurated FUTA Chancellor and Emir of Kantagum, Alhaji Umar Faruk 11 expressed delight over the spate of  development in FUTA in it’s 40 years of existence of tremendous growth earning it the  best University of Technology in Nigeria

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman FUTA  Governing Council, Ambassador Godknows Igali said that the institution’s ship must be steered to a greater problem-solving citadel of learning saying that the establishment of FUTA by former President Shehu Shagari was to catapult the nation into a new face of global height in technology and innovation.

FUTA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joseph Fuwape reeled out the achievements of the institution including that of it’s students, Daniel Adeniyi who won the first place prize of the CODET National Engineering Project Competition in Nigeria for developing a mobile and multipurpose automated paying Machine named CURRENCY among others.

The best graduating student, Miss Taiwo Oluyale appreciated God for the feat and advised the graduating students to be ready to face challenges life might put across them.

Sola Oguntoye

Education

40th Anniversary Convocation: FUTA To Confer Awards On 160 First Class Graduates

By Web News 1306

The Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA is set to confer awards of degrees and honours on its graduates from the first degree to Emeritus Professorship levels during this year convocation.

FUTA, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joseph Fuwape represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Philip Oguntade announced this at a news briefing to herald the twin celebrations of convocation and 40th anniversary.

Professor Fuwape gave the breakdown of the 3205 graduates as 160 first class, 1334 second class upper while 1483 bagged second class lower with 228 graduates as third class and pass.

The institution would also confer emeritus Professorship on three distinguished Nigerians including the Obajimo of Akureland, Chief Adebimpe Aladejana-Ogunleye, Dr Harun Al-rasheed Adamu and His Highness Dr Ephraim Falounghi.

FUTA’s 32nd convocation and 40th-anniversary celebrations are slated for November 27, 2021, in Akure.

Sola  Oguntoye

Education

FUTA: School Community Thrown Into Chaos Over Student’s Death

By Web News 936

Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA was today embroiled in a turmoil over the death of a two hundred level Software Engineering student, Daniel Adeyinka.

The students who blamed the school authorities for the death shut one of the school’s main gates on Akure – Ilesa expressway, barricaded the expressway and made bon fire resulting in traffic gridlock on the road.

The national president, Ondo State Students, Mr. Ayoade Kikiowo who is also a FUTA student insisted that the student died to negligence.

He alleged that his life could have been saved if security guards opened the gate on time for the victim to be rushed to the health center for emergency attention.

Speaking on this, the school’s authorities in a statement by the registrar, Mr Richard Arifalo expresses sadness over the incident but absolves itself of any complicity:

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF ADEYINKA DANIEL, 200 LEVEL STUDENT OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AKURE

“The Management of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA expresses deep sadness at the demise of one of its students, Adeyinka Daniel, 200 level, Software Engineering, in the early hours of August 3, 2021 following an automobile incident along Oyemekun Road Akure. We commiserate and identify with family, friends and fellow students of the deceased on this very painful loss of a promising student.

The university is particularly saddened by the circumstances leading to his death.

From available information the deceased student along with others were involved in an accident outside the campus around 10 PM on August 2, 2021. They were first taken to a private hospital were doctors battled to save their lives. Three of the students were stabilized but Daniel’s condition remained critical. When the condition of the student deteriorated the doctor at the Private Hospital referred him to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo for expert intervention.

At that time the parents of the student and some relations had joined him at the Private Hospital and it was decided, because of time factor, to bring him to the University Health Centre. The deceased student was brought to the University Health Centre at 3.20 AM and the doctor on duty promptly attended to the student in the car of the parents. According to him, all resuscitative efforts proved abortive; there was no cardiac activity and response to any stimuli. And by 3.40 AM he declared that he was brought in clinically dead. The doctor offered to take the boy to the morgue with the University Ambulance but the parents declined electing to take him home ostensibly for burial.

The Medical report from the Private Hospital which was brought along with him indicates that the student was clinically non responsive  by 1.30 AM well before they got to the University Health Centre at 3.20 AM.

The death is unfortunate and regrettable.

The University has ordered an immediate review of the incident in order to ascertain the circumstances leading to it.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased student. The University is also monitoring the state of treatment of the other students who were also involved.

We pray that the Almighty God will grant the family and friends of the deceased the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. “

Sola Oguntoye