By Dayo Johnson Akure

President Bola Tinubu has enjoined Nigerian graduates to deploy their proficiency in diverse entrepreneurial activities, agricultural and ICT skills.

He said this during the 36th convocation of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA, in Ondo state.

A total of 2,747 graduands, across 10 schools, graduated while 240 students graduated with First Class honours;
1,479 students in Second Class (Upper) Division, 912 students in Second Class (Lower) Division; and 116 students in Third Class Division.

Speaking through the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, the President, said that they should be prepared to confront the challenges in the competitive labour market.

According to him ” I believe that you have all been adequately prepared to confront the challenges in the competitive labour market.

“I enjoin you to deploy your proficiency in diverse entrepreneurial activities, agricultural and ICT skills and the basic theoretical scientific knowledge and applications to create jobs in your respective fields and be self-reliant.

” Government is equally hopeful that you will all defend your new status as graduates through consistent hard work, increased focus, patriotic citizenship and unalloyed commitment to national unity, peace and progress.

While congratulating parents and guardians of the graduands, the President said that they should continue to guide and guard against “abandoning our age-long value of hard work, honesty, compassion and decent comportment

Speaking on funding of education, the President said that “while the Federal Government does not have any intention of abdicating its responsibilities to the Higher Educational Institutions, “all stakeholders to take another look at the erstwhile model of absolute reliance on government for funding and rejig the educational system for sustainable funding.

“It is also very pertinent to emphasize that the interconnection between our tertiary institutions and industry should be improved upon.

“Research output from our tertiary institutions should also be more impactful; being such that industries could readily make use of for mutual benefits.

“All over the world,funding of government-owned universities is a collective responsibility of all the stakeholders

He declared that his administration was committed to policies that strengthen education, promote research funding and foster collaboration between universities and industries.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in his address, commended the institution for ranking the best university of Technology for over a decade.

Aiyedatiwa said that “FUTA has been ranked the Best University of Technology in Nigeria and consistently sits among the top ten universities overall.

“This is not a fluke; it is a testament to a culture of excellence and a spirit of resilience.

The vice Chancellor of the University,Prof Adenike Oladiji, in her address said that the National Universities Commission, NUC has approved 18 undergraduate programmes across different Schools for the institution .

Prof Oladiji said During the academic session under report, the National Universities Commission teams visited the University between 10th November and 15th December, 2024 and conducted the October/November 2024 NUC undergraduate programme accreditation exercise for eighteen (18) undergraduate programmes across different Schools.

“I am most glad to inform this noble assembly that the University had received the result of the exercise from the NUC and all the programmes presented for the exercise obtained full accreditation status.

” In order to widen access of people to university education, the University Senate introduced the Top Up programmes.

” It is a bridge programme for holders of Higher National Diploma to earn bachelor degrees.

“The programme which commenced during 2024/2025 Academic Session now has 19 degree programmes across various Schools.

Prof Oladiji, noted that after scaling the hurdle of resource verification, approval had been obtained from the NUC for commencement of
B.N. Sc. Nursing Sciences, B.Tech. Financial Technology, B.Tech. Procurement Management and B.Tech. Environmental Management.

She added that ” plans are afoot to establish School of Architecture.

” The proposed School, when approved, would host the following undergraduate programmes:B.Tech. Architecture, B.Tech. Architectural Technology, B.Tech. Furniture Design, B.Tech. Interior Architecture Design; B.Tech. Landscape Architecture and B.Tech. Naval Architecture.

Speaking on the demands of the institution, the Vice Chancellor, listed them to include, “Endowment of professorial chairs in various disciplines
Donation of laboratory equipment and other learning materials Award of doctoral and post-doctoral scholarships and fellowships for staff Provision of lecture halls and laboratories with ultra-modern facilities.

Other request, according to Prof Oladiji, include, institution of prizes and awards for outstanding students and staff
Provision of students hostels under Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) or Private-Public-Partnership (PPP) agreement
Provision of Buses for students’ field trips